


The Rise of Nations: Still Young

by aleviah



Series: Rise of Nations [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aang & Zuko (Avatar) Friendship, Action/Adventure, Alpha Toph Beifong, Angst, Badass Katara (Avatar), Badass Suki (Avatar), Badass Toph Beifong, Badass Zuko (Avatar), Bending (Avatar), Bloodbending, Canon Expansion, Character Development, Drug trafficking, Drugs, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Fictional drugs, Fire Nation Politics (Avatar), Fluff, Gaang, Gen, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), I Will Go Down With This Ship, I like character development, I'm Bad At Summaries, Minor Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Minor Sokka/Suki, Mystery, Occasional blood and gore, Original Character(s), Other, PTSD flashbacks, Panic Attacks, Past Aang/Katara (Avatar), Past Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Past Sokka/Yue (Avatar), Precious Aang (Avatar), Protective Katara, Protective Sokka (Avatar), Protective Toph Beifong, Protective Zuko (Avatar), Slow Burn, Stubborn Katara (Avatar), Suki backstory, The Spirit World, Toph Beifong and Zuko are Siblings, Toph Being Awesome, Violence, Zuko is Awkward, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zutara, airbenders backstory, azula still insane, continue training with bending skills, dark references, darker themes, emotional aang, emotional katara, emotional mai, emotional suki, fic one of three, gaang adventure, i also like expanding off the magic systems so here we are, kyoshi warrior ty lee, mai character development, main ship is zutara, metalbending, non-bending combat, protective suki, references minor character deaths from canon, references minor character deaths not canon, sokka emotional, sokka funny, suki character development, toph is 16 so she cusses like a sailor, ty lee backstory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:40:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 154,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26516842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aleviah/pseuds/aleviah
Summary: It's four years after Sozin's Comet. Aang visits Katara and Sokka in the South Pole for the first time in months, only to bring some startling and unfortunate news.Back in the Fire Nation, Zuko is driving himself mad from exhaustion, the stress of assassination attempts and the attempts of his council to dethrone him aren't letting him sleep. His bodyguard, Toph, might be able to knock some sense into him.
Relationships: Aang/Original Character, Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Mai/Original Character(s), Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Series: Rise of Nations [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1928065
Comments: 3
Kudos: 65





	1. Fire Nation Politics

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, everyone! Thanks for checking this out!
> 
> If you're reading this for Zutara, I must warn you - it might be frustratingly slow, and often completely absent, for a while...but I promise the Zutara will come.
> 
> Please leave comments! I love constructive feedback, whether that's criticism or saying what you enjoyed!
> 
> My main tumblr is honor-is-dead and my content tumblr is also aleviah  
> My twitter handle is AleviahWolfe, as well as my instagram 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to The Rise of Nations! This fic is so much fun to write - it has humor, it has seriousness, it has romance, it has friendships, and I enjoy writing every second of it.
> 
> I really hope you like this fic! It takes a while to get into the good stuff, but once everything is introduced, the story really will get rolling (and don't worry, Zutara fans - it may be strange to read a fic that isn't 100% Zutara, but it'll become more of a focus after the first ten or so chapters).
> 
> Despite the following, I promise you that this fic is rather funny (In my opinion, I dunno, I'm the author so I guess finding myself funny doesn't necessarily count, but I do try), and while there are serious themes, I do try to keep things lighthearted and have laughable moments just as much! This trigger warning list may be long, but I'd rather people not read this fanfiction to avoid being triggered than to read it and accidentally be triggered. 
> 
> Before you dive in, I wanted to take a moment to put some trigger/content warnings. As much as I'd hope you'll read this fic and enjoy it, and I also hope I'm treating these topics with respect, I also want to give all of you the opportunity to know what is included in this fic so that you aren't surprised by it when it comes up in later chapters.
> 
> Deeper topics are important to me, so some mental health themes will be more common. Many of these things carry over from the Avatar show and I am just exploring them in more detail. If you want more detail/explanation about something, feel free to message me and ask! As someone who has triggers, I understand wanting to know what you're about to read.
> 
> This list is not in any particular order, so please scan through the whole thing and make sure you're prepared. The last thing I want is for anyone to be triggered by this content. Thank you so much!
> 
> | Mental Health Issues | Anxiety | Anxiety Attacks or Panic Attacks | Meltdowns | Trauma | PTSD | PTSD Flashbacks | Dissociation | Psychosis | Depression | Mentions of War | Descriptions of Traumatic Events | Kidnapping | Physical Abuse or Physical Assault | Mentions of past Sexual Assault (never in detail) | Implied Threat of Sexual Assault (Disclaimer: There is never any sexual assault in this fanfiction) | Graphic Violence | Blood | Wounds | Fighting | Wounds on Arm (NOT self inflicted) | Mentions of Death | Loss of a Loved One | Minor Character Death | Use of Fictional Drugs | Drug Induced Hallucinations | Drug Trafficking | Drug Cartels | Assassination Attempts | Mentions of Past Genocide | Use of Knives (as a weapon) | Emotional Abuse | Verbal Abuse | Threats | Poisoning | Mentions of Past Forced Marriage | CONSENSUAL Prostitution | 
> 
> If I missed something that you catch while reading, PLEASE contact me! 
> 
> Now, I really hope you enjoy! I know that was all super serious but I really do love writing this fic, and a lot of it is fun and lighthearted, so I hope I didn't scare all of you away :) 
> 
> My twitter is @AleviahWolfe if you want to DM me!

NOTE: I am in school, I'm uploading these chapters as soon as I finish them. Therefore, as of right now, this chapter is *unrevised*. Feel free to let me know if I've made any dumb mistakes! Thank you!

\- - -  
\- - - - -  
\- - -

Katara stood with her back to the frozen pond, her unfocused eyes staring straight ahead. It was snowing lightly, and everything in view was white - the snow on the ground, the light grey clouds in the sky, and the occasional glint of ice. Her breath was visible in the air, as was normal in the South Pole, and her hands were clenched inside of her mittens.

"I can do this." Katara whispered to herself, her words swept away by the bitter winds.

She closed her eyes, and listened.

She listened with her bending - she listened to the water all around her. The ice, the snow, the moisture in the air...she was surrounded by her element. She pulled one of her hands out of her mittens and held it in front of her, feeling the hydration within the air. Her eyes were still closed, and she furrowed her brow as she pulled on the moisture, bending it toward her hand.

She felt it respond.

Katara's eyes snapped open, searching for the water she had pulled out of thin air...but there was none. She had stopped too quickly.

Cursing herself silently, Katara closed her eyes again.

I'm surrounded by water, she thought to herself, absentmindedly moving her hand in small motions in the air in front of her. I am a waterbender, and my element is all around me. Katara took a deep breath, feeling the water in her own body. She listened closely, feeling the water outside her body. I am a waterbender, and my element is all around me. She focused on that element, pulling it toward her fingers. It grew closer, more defined, and she almost felt water on her fingers -

"How long are you going to caress the air like that?"

Katara dropped her hand, her concentration broken. The air around her felt just as dry as it had before. She opened her eyes, which flashed dangerously as she turned to face her brother. "How many times have I told you not to interrupt me while I'm practicing my bending?" She snapped, pulling her mittens back on.

Sokka shrugged. "I don't know. More than twice, at least."

Katara bit back her fury at his casual attitude. "I tell you every single day, Sokka! What is so hard for you to understand about 'don't interrupt me when I'm practicing my bending?'"

"You weren't bending!" Sokka protested, crossing his arms. "I even waited to make sure you weren't! You were just standing there stroking the air, like it was-"

Katara's eyes looked as if they were going to pop out of their sockets. "Well I was bending, and I don't appreciate you ruining my progress!"

"I'm sorry, Katara…" Sokka walked up to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. She resisted the urge to shove him away and stared defiantly up at him. "...but no matter how much you practice, you'll never be an airbender."

Katara rolled her eyes as dramatically as possible. "I'm not trying to airbend, you incompetant buffoon. I was trying to bend water out of the air."

Sokka snorted. "Katara, that's not a thing."

"Yes it is!" Katara stomped her foot, and the frozen pond cracked ominously. "Hama could do it! And if Hama could do it, I know I can do it, too. I just haven't…" She trailed off, noticing Sokka's eyebrows trailing higher and higher up his forehead. "I just haven't figured it out yet, okay?" She stomped away from him. "It's not like you'd understand, anyway!"

"Hey!" Sokka jogged to catch up with her, offended. "That was a low blow!"

"Whatever." Katara quickly changed the subject, trudging through the snow back toward the Southern Water Tribe. "What was so important that you had to come get me, anyway?"

"Oh! Right!" Sokka grinned, elbowing his sister in the ribs. "Aang is back!"

Katara's eyes widened. "What? He's a week early!"

"I know!" Sokka said happily. "He wanted to come get you himself, but Dad insisted I should do it while Aang unpacked. He was trying to act like a good host, but I'm pretty sure Dad thinks Aang will get lost out here by himself."

Katara smiled to herself, still processing the fact that Aang is here when they finally approached the Water Tribe. All of her anxiety disappeared as she saw a familiar, friendly face. She felt a lump in her throat, whether from relief or missing them for so long, she couldn't tell. She looked into the eyes of someone who had never failed her, someone who always made her feel comfortable.

"Appa!" She cried happily, running toward the sky bison and flinging her arms around his head. His slobbery tongue nearly knocked her down as he greeted her. "Okay, Appa...I love you too." She giggled, regaining her balance on the slippery snow.

"Katara!"

Gasping, Katara turned around quickly. "Aang!" She threw her arms around him and he hugged her back, still holding his glider staff in his hand. Katara pulled away, looking at him in astonishment. It was incredible how much had changed in the past four years since Sozin's comet, but the familiarity of Aang's presence made her feel secure.

Without thinking, she blurted out, "You're early!"

Aang's face fell. Katara immediately regretted her outburst and quickly added, "But I'm so glad to see you! I've missed you so much!"

"I know, Katara. I've missed you too." Aang pulled her back into a hug, and Katara held him tightly. She could feel his fist against her back, clenching tightly around his staff.

"...Aang?" Katara rubbed his back cautiously. "Are you okay?"

Aang pulled away from her reluctantly, his eyes downcast. "...I'm here early for a reason. And it's not a good one."

Katara felt her heart sink, but she kept her expression impassive while she nodded. She and Sokka had travelled with Aang on his diplomatic trips for the first year after the comet before they decided to go home, and she knew the importance of international peace to Aang. She and Sokka had come home, and Aang and Toph came with them at first, but after a few months at the South Pole, Zuko - Fire Lord Zuko - sent a desperate request for Aang's help. Toph and Aang had been in the Fire Nation helping Zuko for the last three years and only had time to visit a every few months. Katara could only imagine the stress that Aang was under.

"It's okay, Aang." Katara grabbed his hand and pulled him toward her home. "Tell me everything."

Thankfully, Sokka and her father weren't home. Katara sat on a rug and motioned for Aang to join her. He sat down heavily, setting his staff down at his side.

"Things aren't going well in the Fire Nation, Katara." He began quietly. Katara clenched her jaw. "Zuko is in over his head, and all of the people who are supposed to give him advice either want him to be just like his father or they want him dead. If it weren't for Toph, he would have been assassinated months ago."

Katara paled, a jolt of fear running through her chest. "Spirits, Aang…"

"I know. It's bad. And, Katara…" Aang met her gaze guiltily. "I'm so sorry…"

Katara blinked. "What?" She shook her head. "Aang, I'm fine, what are you-"

"The Fire Sages are demanding to see you." Aang interrupted, staring back down at his hands. "Immediately."

Frozen in place, Katara was vaguely aware of Aang reaching out and grabbing her hand. The Fire Sages wanted to see her? "Why?" Katara asked bluntly, astounded.

"They're having a hard time accepting that Azula was bested by a waterbender in the Agni Kai." Aang explained quietly, his hand still holding hers. "Apparently you...didn't follow proper protocol, and they want to question you about it."

Katara couldn't believe what she was hearing. Proper protocol? "They can't punish me for breaking protocol, can they? I'm not a Fire Nation citizen!"

"It's not about punishing you," Aang sighed, "they're just trying to make Zuko's life as difficult as possible. Zuko is pushing for a council of foreign ambassadors, and in retaliation, the Fire Sages are claiming that you should be the ambassador, since you technically won the Agni Kai."

Katara's head was swirling. "But...what's wrong with me being an ambassador?"

Aang looked up. "Nothing! I didn't mean it like that!" He squeezed Katara's hand, scooting a little closer to her. "The Fire Sages are only requesting you as ambassador because they're going to use you to constantly remind Zuko of his failure, and how he technically lost to Azula. They're using you as a pawn in this stupid game." Aang shook his head furiously. "I tried to stop them, Katara, I'm so sorry. Zuko tried, too. But they've made up their minds and now none of us have any choice."

"Hold on." Katara pulled her hand out of Aang's. "Are they asking me to be ambassador? Or…" Her eyes widened at the guilty look on Aang's face. "You're here to take me back to the Fire Nation, aren't you?"

"I'm so sorry, Katara…" Aang held both of her hands pleadingly. "I know you want to stay here and help rebuild your home, and this isn't fair, but I don't know what else to do! The Fire Sages are playing dirty, but if we say no…"

Katara sat still for a moment before looking up at him. "What would happen if I said no?" She asked in a low voice.

Aang flinched. "...I'm not sure what they're planning, Katara, but the Fire Sages aren't happy that Zuko is at the healm of the Fire Nation. I've heard whispers of the Fire Sages wanting to crown Azula as Fire Lord because she technically defeated Zuko in the Agni Kai."

Katara's eyes widened. "But, isn't she still…"

"She's not okay, Katara." Aang shook his head. "Zuko refuses to put her in prison, because he's afraid she'll break out. He's keeping her in the palace. She's been deteriorating quickly - there's no way she'd be able to function as Fire Lord."

Aang looked up at Katara, his eyes shining. "They don't have any respect for you, Katara. But all they care about is to spite Zuko. They've implied that you are more fit to rule than he is, since you won the Agni Kai, which is a big blow to his honor."

Katara frowned. "I thought they didn't like me? Why would they want me as Fire Lord?"

Aang shook his head in exasperation. "They don't actually want you as Fire Lord," he explained darkly. "They're planning something, and it's not good. I think they're trying to keep Zuko distracted." Aang's expression fell even farther. "And now they have the nerve to drag you into all of this. If only I knew what they were planning, then I could stop them-"

"But, Aang," Katara interrupted, her hand on his arm. "what would they do if I didn't go with you?"

Katara held Aang's gaze. Finally, he nodded, and continued quietly, "There are a few options. A few of the sages have suggested that you committed an act of war by attacking Azula, who was first in line for the crown at the time. Since Zuko was challenging her for the throne and she…" Aang cleared his throat. "beat him, with her lightning, she was by all accounts the Fire Lord. The Fire Sages are claiming that you attacked the Fire Lord-"

"She attacked me first!" Katara insisted, growing stiff. Aang nodded at her, putting his hand over hers.

"I know that, Katara, but they won't listen to me!" Aang's eyes were bright with tears. "They're claiming you attacked first, which is an act of war, and the Fire Nation must counterstrike."

Katara cursed. "They can't make Zuko attack us! He would never do such a thing!" She shook her head, her fists clenched. "I can't believe they would claim I attacked her first. And how dare they not serve Zuko as loyal advisors!" She snapped even louder, as if she was scolding the Fire Sages themselves. "They bring dishonor upon themselves and their position! How dare they conspire against him!"

Aang looked at her questioningly after a few silent moments, and after Katara collected herself, she nodded at him to keep going. "I already mentioned that there have been multiple assassination attempts on Zuko's life." Aang closed his eyes, as if the horrendousness of the situation would go away if he couldn't see it. "I think they're looking for a way to grasp the throne for themselves - they either kill Zuko and claim that Azula is unfit to rule, or they crown Azula and use her as a puppet."

Katara blinked in shock. "A...a puppet? No, there is no way Azula could be a puppet! She's too-"

"Katara, she doesn't speak anymore." Aang interrupted, his voice tired. "From what I understand, she stays in bed all day. Every few days she'll have a severe meltdown, but other than that, it's as if there isn't a person inside her body anymore."

Katara looked down at her lap, unable to think of the powerful firebender as an empty shell. "How could this happen? Do they know what's wrong with her?"

Aang shook his head. "Zuko asked multiple doctors for their professional opinions, but no one has any answers."

Katara stared at Aang in disbelief, but sensing Aang's sensitivity toward the subject, switched to the other question swimming in her mind. "...why would they want to attack the South Pole?"

Aang scoffed coldly, and Katara knew there was no humor in the laugh. "It would be another spite against Zuko." Aang explained bitterly, instinctively laying a hand on his staff. "Zuko is trying to move the Fire Nation towards peace, and being forced to attack a defenseless -" Aang looked up quickly, eyes wide, "I mean, mostly defenseless, water tribe...especially when it's the home of you and Sokka…"

"But…" Katara shook her head, "But they can't force him, can they?"

Aang pursed his lips in frustration. "Technically, they can't. But I'm starting to believe the laws are going to matter less the more time goes on. I think they're getting impatient."

Katara felt an empty weight in the pit of her stomach. "How is he dealing with it?"

"Zuko?" Aang shook his head, sighing in defeat. "He's not, really. He's not sleeping, he's to afraid of another assassination attempt. And, quite frankly, he's too stressed. He doesn't want to overstep his authority, but he's absolutely livid about the idea of attacking you and Sokka." Aang rubbed his hand along his head nervously, glancing up at Katara. "I'm sorry I didn't write to you about this before showing up, or try and give you some time to decide about this. I barely convinced them to let me be the one to come and get you, I didn't think about sending a messenger hawk-"

Katara leaned over and took his hand, shaking her head decidedly. "It's okay, Aang. I'll come back with you."

Aang looked up at her in shock. "You...what? I thought you would be upset."

"I am upset." Katara frowned, holding his hand tightly. "But you said so yourself - if I stay here, I'll make things worse for everybody. I can't risk the Fire Nation attacking my tribe again." She closed her eyes for a moment, remembering when the Fire Nation attacked the Southern Water Tribe years ago. How they had killed Katara's mother, and Katara had been powerless to stop them. She had been a helpless little girl, screaming, tripping aimlessly around the village as fires burned around her.

Katara nodded to herself, forcing the memories into the back of her mind. She wasn't a helpless little girl anymore. "If I go with you, I have a chance to help you and Zuko fix this. I…" Katara looked away from his wide grey eyes. "I can't stay here and let you and Zuko deal with the consequences. And I definitely can't stay here if it means putting my people in danger."

"Katara…" Aang shook his head, bewildered. "Are you sure you've thought this through? I'm asking you to leave your home, and I don't know how long you'll have to be gone! And I have no idea what the Fire Sages want to do with you! They could have something really awful in store, maybe even dangerous -"

"Aang…" Katara smiled softly, leaning over and planting a soft kiss on his cheek. He effectively stopped rambling and stared at her, wide eyed. "I've made my decision, okay?"

He nodded, smiling for the first time since Katara had seen him. "Okay."

"Good." Katara returned his smile sadly. "When do we have to leave?"

She almost regretted asking when a dark, guilty shadow fell back over Aang's face. "...tomorrow morning." He mumbled, holding onto her hands as if they were his anchor to life. "I'm so sorry, Katara, this isn't what I wanted. This isn't what YOU wanted." Aang's head fell onto his chest and surrendured to a look of defeat. "I haven't seen you in almost four months, and this is how we spend our reunion…"

Katara drew her lips into a thin line, reaching her hand out to lift Aang's head back up. She cradled his jaw with her hand, staring into his guilt-ridden eyes with her own fiercely determined ones. "None of this is your fault, Aang. Let me talk to my dad and Sokka. You get some rest, okay? I can handle this."

Aang nodded, and he followed her back out into the snow, where he climbed onto Appa's back and into a sleeping bag. Katara smiled softly to herself, knowing that Aang still kept all six of their sleeping bags with him when he travelled. she watched him settle under the covers and lie still. She was almost positive that he was asleep within seconds.

Her heart beat faster as her rage toward the Fire Sages resurfaced. After all Aang had done to bring peace, they still sought for war. Aang was only sixteen, but the bags under his eyes showed he carried the burdens of an elder. He didn't deserve so much responsibility at such a young age. Then again, neither did Zuko.

Katara waited at the docks for her father and brother to return, and when she saw their fishing boat moving toward her, she was flooded with relief. She hadn't been sitting there for more than a few minutes after Aang had fallen asleep. After helping Sokka and Hadoka secure the boat and haul the days catch to Gran-Gran's hut, Katara pulled them both inside their house and down onto the mats.

Hadoka let himself be dragged into a sitting position, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Alright, Katara. What's going on?" He asked gently.

Katara took a deep breath. "...I have to go back with Aang."

They sat quietly for a moment, the humor in her father's eyes vanishing, before Sokka cleared his throat and asked, "Uh, back where?"

Katara glared at him. "To the Fire Nation! Where else has Aang been?"

Sokka mocked her, rolling his eyes before fully realizing what she had said. "Wait, you're going back to the fire nation?" Sokka seemed repulsed by this idea. "Why in Agni's name would you want to do that?"

"It's not about wanting to." Katara met her father's gaze apologetically, noticing that his expression was missing it's usual warmth. "...there are a lot of issues happening in the Fire Nation right now-"

"The Fire Nation can deal with their own problems. You have no need to get involved in their politics." Hadoka said rather stiffly. Katara cringed.

"I...may have accidentially involved myself. During Sozin's comet." she explained. "And I need to go back and help fix things."

Seeing both Sokka and Hadoka's raised eyebrows, Katara took another deep breath and explained as much of the situation as she remembered. What was wrong with Azula, the assassination attempts, the corrupt Fire Sages, and their threats to attack the South Pole.

"...don't you see? I have to go. I don't have a choice." Katara faltered for a moment, feeling very small. Small like the child she was when her home was first attacked by the Fire Nation. But she forced herself to look up. "I have to go, Dad. Zuko needs help, and it's my duty to protect the tribe. I must take responsibility for my actions and face whatever consequences they have."

Though sadness lingered in his eyes, Hadoka smiled gently, placing his hand on Katara's shoulder. "Katara, you DO have a choice. If you decided you didn't want to go, I would support you, even if it meant an attack from the Fire Nation."

"But we support the other choice more, right?" Sokka interjected, his voice a bit higher than usual. "Because the choice where we DON'T get attacked sounds much better to me."

Hadoka closed his eyes in a plead for patience. "Thank you, Sokka." He looked into his daughter's eyes, which were shining more brightly than normal. Hadoka knew what it meant when Katara's eyes were so bright…they lit up with passion the same way Kya's had. He reached out and held her face gently. "You've made your decision?"

"Yes." Katara whispered, a tear falling onto her cheek. "I'm sorry, Dad, I really did want to stay and help rebuild the tribe-"

Hadoka shook his head. "You will not feel sorry." He commanded. Katara blinked her tears away, nodding, the strength in her father's voice assuring. Hadoka stood and pulled Katara to her feet before placing his hands on her shoulders. "You are strong, brave, and loyal. You have such courage…you remind me of your mother." Hadoka smiled sadly, and Katara continued to let her tears fall. "I will always support you, Katara. I love you so much."

Katara threw her arms around her father, stuffing her face into his neck. "I love you too, Dad." She whispered. She hugged him as her tears fell, and his comforting arms never pulled away. He waited for her to step away before letting go, smiling proudly at her.

"You two should go pack." Hadoka gestured toward the bedrooms. "Aang said he was leaving tomorrow morning, and if you're going with him, you shouldn't put it off."

Katara frowned. "What do you mean, 'you two?'"

"You and your brother." Hadoka pointed at Sokka, who stopped chewing at his jerky for a moment to stare at him.

"Huh?" Sokka asked, his mouth still full and his eyes wide.

Hadoka's eyes glimmered with amusement. "You don't think I'm just going to send my daughter into the Fire Nation without some help, do you?"

Before Katara could open her mouth and argue that she doesn't need any help, and she'd have Aang with her anyway, Sokka swallowed, choking slightly as he asked, "You mean, I'm going?" His mouth hung open. "To the Fire Nation?"

Hadoka pointed toward the bedrooms once again. "Get packing." He turned to Katara, who's mouth was also gaping. "I'm going to go and talk to Aang."

o0o0o

_Dear Zuko,_

_Katara is coming back with me, and so is Sokka. Chief Hadoka said that if the Fire Sages are demanding Katara's presence, they should oblige for her to bring a guest._

_I told her about everything. She's not happy about having to leave her tribe, but she seemed really determined to do this. I'm sure Sokka will bring some new ideas to the table, too._

_We're leaving tomorrow morning. I hope everything is going alright there._

_Flameo, Hotman!_

_Aang_

Fire Lord Zuko cursed under his breath as he read the letter. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but the fact that Katara had agreed to come back to the Fire Nation made him feel incredibly guilty. Especially when Sokka was being dragged into this, too.

He pulled the fire ornament out of his hair and undid the topknot, letting his hair fall into it's natural place. Against the Fire Sage's wishes, he had kept it as short as possible - only long enough to put in a topknot.

He hated that topknot. It reminded him of his father.

It took roughly two days to send a letter by messenger hawk. Flying from the Fire Nation to the South Pole couldn't be much of a longer trip. Aang would be back with them soon.

The door swung open.

Pushing away from his desk, Zuko knocked his chair backwards as he stood quickly, getting into a firebending stance. One of the candles on his desk fell and lit the rug on fire, which took a moment for Zuko to stomp out, cursing loudly.

"You really need to sleep, Sparky." Toph sniffed, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe. "You're getting paranoid."

Zuko glared at Toph for a moment before realizing she couldn't see him, and he snapped, "Well, wouldn't YOU be paranoid? I can't do anything without people trying to kill me!"

"No one has succeeded yet, so you're managing pretty well so far." Toph replied matter-of-factly. Zuko's brows furrowed even deeper.

"Everyone is good at staying alive until they're dead, Toph." He grumbled, picking up the extinguished candle and putting it back on his desk. Before Toph could reply with a quick-witted retort, Zuko changed the subject. "Aang should be back at any time, I need to go inform the palace staff."

"With Katara." Toph added, still leaning casually in the doorway.

Zuko scowled. How had she guessed? "Yes, and Sokka too. Now, would you please let me go alert the staff-"

"They already know, Sparky, Aang sent me a letter, too."

Zuko paused, confused. "...How do you-"

"Don't be stupid, Zuko, I don't read them. I have someone else read them to me." Toph waved him off lazily. "I don't see why you're in such a bad mood, anyway. We're getting the gang back together! You haven't seen Katara and Sokka in almost three years! Aren't you excited?"

Zuko crossed his arms defiantly, not caring whether or not she could see him. "Of course I'm-"

Toph shook her head. "You're such a liar." Her eyebrows narrowed. "What's your problem, anyway?"

"Look, I've missed my friends." Zuko growled, moving to push past her and into the hallway. "I've missed them a lot, but this is not the way I wanted to see Sokka and Katara after this long. I didn't want them to have to come here because of my political problems."

"I hate to break it to you, Sparky, but your political problems are all of our political problems." Toph followed him down the hallway, her bare feet slapping the stone.

Zuko slowed slightly, turning over his shoulder to look at her. "What is that supposed to mean?" He hissed as a servent hurried by them.

Toph shrugged. "This is the Fire Nation. You guys have more influence than any other nation. Besides…" Toph smirked. "I know you're not used to having friends, but there's this thing that friends do - it's called 'supporting each other.' It took me a while understand it, too, but don't worry, with time-"

Zuko shoved the girl into the wall as her teasing tone gave way to her laughter. "I still don't like it, Toph."

Toph finished cackling and regained whatever composure she had, her tone more serious. "You have a lot of problems, Sparky, but you're not selfish. That's my job. Trust me, if Katara didn't want to come, she wouldn't have come."

Zuko shook his head. She didn't understand. "Toph, it's not like that. She probably felt like she had no choice-"

"She probably didn't have a choice." Toph interrupted, her voice hard. Guilt cut through Zuko like an arrow. "Do you know why?" Zuko didn't reply, so Toph continued. "Because Katara is a good person. She cares about her people, she cares about peace, and she cares about you. The last thing she would do is turn her back on people who need her."

Zuko walked beside her silently as the hallway opened into the ballroom. "You seem to really admire her."

"Nah, I think she's overly selfless and puts everyone else before herself in order to avoid her own problems." Toph yawned, stretching. "But it is a nice quality to have in a friend. You just have to be careful."

Zuko walked with Toph across the ballroom and out into the courtyard. "Be careful of what?" He asked quietly.

Toph's entire body seemed to roll its eyes. "Do I have to hold your hand through every step of this? Okay, fine. Since I'm nice, I'll do it." She plopped down on the bench, motioning for him to sit down. He sat hesitantly. "Katara doesn't lie very often," Toph said bluntly, "but when she does lie, it's always to protect other people. If you ask her to do something and she says yes, there's still a chance she actually doesn't want to, but she just doesn't want to hurt you."

Zuko felt hollow. He felt himself ask, "Do you think that's why she said yes to coming back with Aang?"

"No, I don't." Toph replied, folding her arms across her chest. "But if she's going to get caught up in this mess, you should be aware that Katara will go to great lengths to help people, especially her friends. Even if she doesn't want to, or it hurts her - she'll shut up and deal with it. If you don't want to end up in a situation with a very unhappy Katara, you have to learn how to read people."

"Wow, Toph." Zuko replied sarcastically, picking a firelily from beside the bench. "Thanks, I'll definitely remember to use my earthbending to tell when people are lying - wait, I don't have earthbending!"

"You don't need earthbending to read people, you brainless hog-monkey!" Toph snapped back, throwing her hands up in the air. "Oh, you're hopeless. I give up."

Zuko stared after her as she began to walk away, his mouth open in astonishment. "Well, how else is someone supposed to just, READ someone else?"

Toph turned around to face him, her arms still crossed, tapping her foot on the courtyard path. "What do you think I'm feeling right now, Zuko?" She snapped indignantly.

Zuko frowned. "Is that a trick question? You're obviously really annoyed with me."

"See? You can read people. It's not that hard." Toph twirled and resumed walking around the corner. Before Zuko could call after her, she yelled over her shoulder, "Don't worry, I'm not going far. But I do want a break from you, since you're annoying." She turned the corner, and her voice faded slightly. "Of course, you already knew that, since you're so good at reading people."

Knowing full well there was no point in arguing with Toph, Zuko sat by himself in the courtyard, hair in his eyes. He knew Toph was only around the corner, but he still felt much more alone. He had grown much closer with the earthbender in the last few years, especially since she had become his personal bodyguard. She didn't hold her tongue while talking to him, which wasn't something Zuko had the luxury of experiencing often as Fire Lord. He felt safer when she was around, her and her all-seeing-feet. She slept in a room beside Zuko's, and the slightest movement would cause her to wake. Toph had foiled nearly seven assassination attempts in the last year alone.

Zuko closed his eyes, feeling the cool, night breeze rush against his skin. He felt nearly weightless, and caught himself as his head slipped forward. Maybe Toph is right. He thought begrudgingly, moving to stand. Maybe I do need to try and sleep.

It would be a pity, after all, to see two of his closest friends after nearly three years looking like a badger-sloth. Sokka and Katara would be there the next morning. Maybe he would be granted peace for just one night, and he could catch a few hours of rest, just enough to lighten up the bags under his eyes. Zuko chuckled to himself as he rounded the courner to get Toph. Since when had he cared about his appearence?

Zuko stopped short. The hallway was empty.

Zuko felt his heartbeat thump wildly in his ears, and he was suddenly wide awake, all thoughts of rest fleeing as his eyes darted in and out of the shadows. An unusual lump lay in the corner of the hall, cloaked in the darkness. Zuko stepped forward quietly, summoning a small flame in his hand. A jolt of fear and anger coursed through him, causing the fire in his hand to flare.

Toph lay crumpled in an unnatural position, her pale eyes staring upward, a blowdart sticking out of her neck. Cold dread began to seep through Zuko's veins, but before he could think of anything else, he saw his own shadow.

...His own shadow?

Zuko whirled around, barely dodging the fire blast that hit the stone wall behind him. A masked intruderer held up flaming fists, the fire glinting in their golden eyes. Zuko fell into a familiar firebending stance, positioning himself between Toph and the assassin, praying to Agni that she wasn't dead.

He would have called for help, but there was only one person in the palace that he trusted. And she was laying crumpled in a helpless heap behind him.

Tonight, Zuko would have to fend for himself, just like he always did.


	2. A Warm Welcome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Katara, Aang, and Sokka reach the Fire Nation on Appa, they're immediately rushed to Toph's chambers, where Zuko is in a state of panic. They troubleshoot what options they have to help Toph, and after a group epiphany, they all try and get some sleep. Katara and Zuko exchange their first genuine words with one another for the first time in almost three years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, friends! I'm glad you're back! Remember to comment if anything catches your eye - good, bad, or in between - and remember that these chapters are currently *unrevised*! I hope you enjoy!

Relieved to be back in the Fire Nation, Aang handed the last of the luggage to the two servant women, who avoided his gaze nervously. "Asiya? Ylana?" He asked hesitantly, stepping toward them. "What's going on?"

The two servants, whom Aang knew well after staying at the palace for the last three years, exchanged a weighted glance before placing Katara and Sokka's bags gently on the ground. Ylana kept her eyes on the pavement as she addressed the Avatar, whose frown was deepening with suspicion. "There's been...an incident, Master Aang." She seemed to struggle to find the right words.

"What's happened?" Katara asked, her tone bright as she dismounted Appa gracefully. She stood next to Aang, smiling warmly at the woman before noticing the concern in their faces. She turned to look at Aang, who looked equally troubled. "Aang, what's going on?"

"It's alright, Ylana." Aang nodded to the woman. "What happened?"

The woman, clearly shaken, was approaching retirement in her old age. Asiya, a younger servant, reached out and held the older woman's arm in reassurance. Ylana nodded to herself. "Last night, Fire Lord Zuko-"

"Fuck!" A smattering thud resounded behind them, and Katara didn't need to look to know her brother was splayed across the pavement. She turned anyway, just to be able to spite him with a glint of humor in her eyes. Sokka stood up quickly, brushing himself off and huffing, "I'm just not used to getting off of Appa anymore, that's all."

Aang turned his attention back to the older woman, whose eyes were wide at Sokka's vulgar language. "Ylana, please." He asked gesturing for her to tell him.

Sokka limped to stand next to Katara as Ylana began her explanation once again. "Fire Lord Zuko was attacked last night."

Katara gasped in shock, and Sokka's hand instinctively reached for his sword. Aang's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "Is he alright?" Aang asked, heart pounding.

Asiya nodded quickly. "The Fire Lord is relatively unharmed, as he was able to defend himself long enough for guards to chase the Assassin away."

Sokka's eyes narrowed, looking toward the palace with rising concern. "They didn't catch the attacker?" He asked, his tone accusatory. Asiya shook her head, her eyes widening with intimidation.

Aang stepped forward, his heart still racing. "What about Toph? Is she okay?"

The two woman glanced at each other before looking back at Aang, and Katara let out another gasp of horror. Ylana quickly began to explain, "Master Toph is fortunately still with us, but she is in…" Ylana seemed to struggle for the right words. "Her condition is concerning." She finally said, reaching down to pick up the luggage again. "Fire Lord Zuko requests all of you to meet him in Toph's bedchambers immediately."

Before they could be questioned any further, the two women turned and hauled the bags at a surprisingly quick pace down the paved walkway and toward the palace. Aang stared after them, frozen in shock as his heartbeat thudded in his ears.

"Aang," Katara's voice brought him back to reality, her hand reaching out to hold his own. "We need to go see Toph. You have to show us where her chambers are."

Aang nodded absentmindedly and began a quick pace up the walkway.

Katara had spent many weeks in the palace in the first year after Sozin's comet, so the dazzling ornaments and high ceilings no longer took her breath away. Though she could navigate herself around certain parts of the palace, she still found herself lost after only a few minutes of turning down seperate hallways and through larger rooms. "Why isn't Toph in the section in the palace we used to stay in?" She huffed as she followed Aang closely. She could feel Sokka close behind her, intent on keeping up.

Aang didn't bother turning around to answer her. "Zuko has an entire hallway of bedchambers, with his own at the very end." He explained hurridly, ushering them through a doorway into what looked to be a magnificant ballroom. "Usually the other bedchambers are used for extended family, but Toph and I have been staying in them in order to help protect him."

Sokka made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort, but was muffled by his panting breaths. "So you and Toph are Zuko's personal bodyguards, now?"

"No," Aang replied, completely missing Sokka's attempt to lighten the mood. "That's just Toph."

Before Sokka or Katara could ask any further questions, Aang nodded at a few guards who were standing at attention in front of a hallway. They moved aside to let them pass before resuming their post in front of the entry.

Aang practically ran down the rest of the hallway, which ended with a large set of double doors, but stopped before he reached them. Instead, he pushed open the door directly to the right and burst into the room.

"Aang," Katara chided breathlessly as she and Sokka followed him into the room. "You really should have knocked before-"

Katara was cut off in surprise as someone wearing Fire Nation robes crushed Aang in a hug. Who was…

Katara looked closer at the person's face. "Zuko!" She gasped, shocked. She had never seen him in such a state - he was far paler than she remembered, and his hair wasn't in the royal topknot she had grown accustomed to after his coronation. His eyes were incredibly bloodshot, and as he pulled away from hugging Aang, he met Katara's gaze.

"Katara!" He rasped, tripping toward her. "Can you try and see what's wrong with her? Please?"

Katara shook herself out of her shock - there was no time for formal greetings - and followed where Zuko was pointing. The room was spacious, extremely cluttered, and in the middle was a very large bed. Toph lay under the covers, seeming much smaller compared to the size of the mattress. Katara paled, looking back up at Zuko. "What happened to her?" She whispered, her head swimming.

Zuko sighed, walking over to Toph's bedside and sitting on a stiff-looking chair. He gestured toward the much more plush furniture to the side of him, where they sat hesitantly. He glanced briefly at Toph before turning back to Katara. "There was a blowdart in her neck." He explained quietly. Aang's face darkened, and Katara could feel Sokka clench his fists on the couch beside her. "I've had multiple physicians come see her, but they have no idea what's wrong, because no one can find traces of anything on the blowdart."

Katara frowned. "So, they shot her with a blowdart with no poison?"

Zuko shook his head, almost as if he was shooing his thoughts away. "That's what it seems like," He wrung his hands in his lap, staring at the red oak flooring. "But she still won't wake up. It's as if she's sleeping."

Katara stood, walking over to the other side of Toph's large bed. She looked down at her friend, who she hadn't seen nearly enough in the past few years, and felt her eyes begin to blur. Toph's hair was much longer than she remembered, but then again, Toph always kept her hair up. She looked up at Zuko, who had stood and was watching her anxiously. "I'm going to need some clean water," She began, and the words had barely left her mouth when Zuko rushed through a doorway behind her, and she heard water splashing. She made eye contact with her brother, who was obviously concerned, but both of them turned back to Zuko when he came back into the room. He held a basin of water in his hands, walking as quickly as possible without spilling it. He set it on the floor in front of Katara and stepped back, watching her expectantly.

"Thank you." She smiled at him softly, growing increasingly concerned with the bags under his red, red eyes. She gloved her hand in the water, which was slightly warm, and used her other hand to pull the covers off of Toph. She heard Zuko's sharp intake of breath and she paused, turning back to look at him. "Don't worry, Zuko." She assured him, the water around her hand moving softly. "If there is any kind of poison, I'll be able to feel it."

Zuko nodded, his jaw still clenched. "The blow dart was in her neck." He said gruffly, gesturing to Toph. Katara turned back to her unconsious friend, nodding.

Katara held the water against Toph's neck and instinctively began to feel through her healing. She closed her eyes in concentration, moving her hand around Toph's neck, down over her heart, and back up to the side of Toph's head.

Katara frowned. It felt...empty. There was no poison, and everything seemed to be working perfectly. Her heart rate and breathing was normal, and Katara couldn't feel any echoes of pain. But something felt distinctly wrong - Toph's body was completely healthy, but Katara had almost five years of experience in healing people, and she couldn't shake the feeling that, somehow, something was just...off.

Katara opened her eyes and looked up at Aang and Sokka. Zuko was pacing at the foot of the bed, his arms folded across his chest. "Sokka," Katara gestured with her free hand for him to come to the other side of the bed, and he began to move toward her, frowning. "I need to check something." She moved her hand away from Toph and held the water up to Sokka's heck, resting her hand along his jaw.

Sokka shivered as the water touched his skin. "Katara, I'm fine," He pulled back slightly, wiping the water off of his chin. "I don't need-"

"It's not about you!" Katara pulled him back toward her, eyebrows furrowing. Sokka sighed in defeat, letting her hold the water up to his neck again as she closed her eyes.

There was no feeling of wrongness with Sokka. Katara grit her teeth, frustrated. She had to figure out what was wrong, but she couldn't seem to…

Katara shook her head slightly. She thought about her mantra since she had been back at the South Pole...I am a waterbender, and my element is all around me.

Katara reached into the basin, her eyes still closed, and gloved her other hand with water. She placed that hand on Toph's neck, her lips pressed into a thin line.

I am a waterbender, and my element is all around me.

Something was different. She could FEEL the wrongness within Toph, and how that wasn't there with Sokka…but she was at a loss as to what this problem was.

You're thinking too much. Katara scolded herself, taking a deep breath. You aren't listening enough.

Katara focused on her breathing, her hands on Sokka and Toph's necks, and stilled herself

as if she was meditating. She allowed herself to listen to her element - not to control it, not to bend it...just to listen. The longer she kneeled, the more she heard. There was an energy moving within Sokka - an energy that seemed completely still within Toph. Katara focused inward, and recognized that energy within herself. She pulled on it slightly, and she felt a surprisingly familiar connection.

Of course! This energy was Chi, which Katara channeled to waterbend. She felt the rush of Sokka's Chi beneath her fingertips. It didn't flow like blood in veins, but like lighning through the air. Katara focused her attention back onto Toph, and felt the spark of Chi within her...but it was completely still. It was as silent as the room they were in.

She opened her eyes, pulling her hands back toward her and bending the water back into the basin. Aang and Zuko looked at her expectantly. "Well?" Zuko asked, a note of panic in his voice.

"Yeah, what was that all about?" Sokka rubbed his neck as if the water had made him sore. "It got freakishly intense there for a second."

Katara looked down at Toph, who seemed to be peacefully sleeping. "I think I know what's wrong." She began hesitantly, noting both Aang and Zuko standing up straighter. "...but I don't know how to fix it." She finished, a lump growing in her throat.

"What?" Zuko snapped, walking around the bed to stand next to her. "What do you mean, you don't know how to fix it?"

Katara shook her head, her confusion mounting as she stood to face him. "I don't know exactly how to explain it…" She bit her lip, trying to swallow the painful sob in the back of her throat. "It felt like…" She looked away from Zuko to Aang, whose eyes were wide. "It felt like her Chi was...frozen."

Aang frowned, and Zuko stepped backward, blinking. "Her...Chi?"

"That doesn't make any sense!" Sokka shook his head. "When you get Chi blocked, it messes up your flow of energy and can take away someone's bending for a little bit, but it can't do THIS!" He gestured to Toph.

Katara shook her head, picking the basin up off of the floor and setting it on a nearby nightstand. "You don't understand," She struggled to find the right words. "Her Chi isn't blocked. Blocked Chi still flows, it just comes to the pressure point that was blocked and is unable to pass, as if it's a dam." Katara chewed the inside of her lip anxiously, wracking her brain for an explanation. "Her Chi isn't flowing. It's as if someone...froze it."

"And you can't do anything about it?" Zuko asked aggressively, his body tense.

Katara turned to look at him, taken aback. "I did more than you did!" She hissed, pointing back at their unconsious friend. "At least I could figure out what was wrong!"

Zuko turned away from her. "But you can't do anything about it." He snarled, making his way back to the hard-backed chair at Toph's bedside. "You can't help her."

Katara couldn't believe what she was hearing. She could feel her blood pressure rising and knew that her face must be growing red with anger. "I did my best!" She stomped her foot on the ground, and water basin on the table across the room gurgled. "What else was I supposed to do?"

Laughing coldly, Zuko stared at the sheets on Toph's bed. "You couldn't even figure out what the blow dart was for." He accused, not bothering to look at her.

Before Katara could retaliate, someone else spoke up. "Maybe I can help."

Katara, Zuko, and Aang all looked up at Sokka in mild surprise, which Sokka did not appreciate. "Hey, I can be helpful!" He complained, crossing his arms over his chest. "I happen to know where the Kyoshi Warriors are right now - and they HAPPEN to be in the Fire Nation."

Zuko stared at Sokka, unimpressed. "What are they going to do," He asked darkly. "Wave their fans at her until she wakes up?"

Sokka frowned in disappointment. "No, you idiot!" He snapped. "They-"

Katara gasped, bringing her hand up to her face. "Of course!" She interrupted, turning to Aang. All of her anger toward Zuko was gone as a flitter of hope trailed in her stomach. "Ty Lee is a Kyoshi Warrior! If anyone knows about unfreezing Toph's Chi, it's her!"

Zuko relaxed slightly, nodding to himself. He looked at Sokka, who was glaring at Katara for stealing his fantastic idea. "How did you know they were here, Sokka?" He asked, his voice conversational for the first time.

Sokka sniffed. "Suki and I keep in contact."

Katara caught Sokka's eyes, which widened. He quickly continued, "-They're here on vacation. One of Ty Lee's sisters got married, and instead of having Ty Lee come back to the Fire Nation all by herself, all of the warriors decided they could use a change of scenery."

"I'll send someone for them immediately." Zuko stood, wobbling slightly. "...you guys can pick whatever rooms you want in this hallway. Make yourselves comfortable."

As the door closed behind Zuko, Katara looked back at Sokka, beaming. "Your love letters actually came in handy!" She smiled, relieved at the prospect of hope. Sokka smiled back at her, shaking his head in amusement.

Aang reached over and grabbed Katara's hand. "I'm going to go check on Zuko." He said softly, as if Zuko was still in the room. Katara nodded, squeezing his hand. Aang hesitated before adding, "I've never seen him look this bad."

Nodding, Katara closed her eyes, suddenly a bit overwhelmed. They were in the Fire Nation, something was wrong with Toph, people were trying to kill Zuko…

Aang seemed to recognize that Katara's mind was spinning so he put his arm around her, pulling her closer to him on the couch. "This isn't the way any of us wanted to see each other after so long. I'm sorry, Katara." He rubbed her back for a moment before standing up. "You did an amazing job, by the way." Aang smiled warmly at her, sqeezing her hand before he let it go. Katara looked at him questioningly. "You figured out what was wrong with Toph." he clarified, his eyes bright. "It was amazing. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Aang." Katara nodded, still feeling slightly useless. Suddenly, an idea formed in her mind. "Wait, Aang-" She lept up right as he had reached the door. He turned to look at her, confused. "Can't you bend Chi?" She asked, her heart thumping wildly in her chest. "You said you were able to...bend energy when you took away Ozai's firebending. Do you think-"

Aang stepped back, shaking his head vigorously, causing Katara to stop midsentance. Her excitement melted into a pool of molten lead in the pit of her stomach. She looked down at the ground, trying not to let Aang and Sokka see the tears she was blinking out of her eyes. "Why not?" She asked, her voice harsher than she had intended.

Aang looked at Toph, a pained expression on his face. "I only know how to take someone's bending, and it's almost like a contest of wills." He set his jaw, his eyes determined. "I'm not going to do anything to risk hurting Toph or taking away her bending." He shook his head, his staff gripped tightly in his hand. "Not while we might have another option." Aang said more quietly, turning back toward the hallway. "You guys should pick a bedchamber and unpack. I need to go check on Zuko. Your stuff is out here in the hallway."

Katara stared after him as he left. When had things gone so wrong? How did they end up like this? Things were supposed to get better after Ozai's defeat, but they only seemed to be getting harder and harder.

Sokka walked past Katara, about to leave when he turned to look at her, eyebrows raised. "'Are you going to pick a room and unpack?" He asked, pointing his thumb behind him into the hallway.

Katara shook her head, exhausted. "You can just put my bags in the room across from the chamber you pick, I'll unpack later." She laid her head against the armrest of the couch, curling her legs up onto the cushins. "I'm just going to stay here with Toph in case anything happens."

Sokka stared at her for a moment, his mouth open as if in protest, but he decided against it and merely nodded toward her. He closed the door behind him, and Katara felt her eyelids suddenly get much heavier.

I am a waterbender, and my element is all around me.

Her emotions utterly drained from the last few days, Katara barely realized she was falling asleep until she was lost in a dream.

o0o0o

Zuko barely registered Aang slip into his office as he struggled to contain his temper. "Write it down if you have to!" He hissed, grabbing a piece of parchment and shoving a bottle of ink toward his messenger, who was frozen in terror. Zuko violently stabbed a quill into the ink and glared at the man, who was only slightly older than himself, and gestured to the paper. "I mean it! If you insist that you won't remember, write it down! Her name is Ty Lee! She is travelling with the Kyoshi Warriors. I require her presence for an emergency here at the palace as quickly as possible."

The messenger scribbled frantically - Ty Lee, Kee Oshi Warriors, must come back to palace immediately

Zuko looked down at the parchment and shriveled his nose in distaste. "Do you not know how to spell?" he grabbed the quill out of the man's hands and turned the parchment around, scratching out Kee Oshi and writing Kyoshi above it. He handed it to his messenger aggressively, who was beginning to shake. "You should know how to spell Kyoshi, considering her achievements as an Avatar." Zuko reprimanded, folding his arms across his chest tightly. His eyes flashed at the messenger. "Don't just stand there!" he snapped, pointing toward the doorway. "Go!"

After a few quickly mumbled "Yes, Fire Lord Zuko"s and "I'm sorry, Fire Lord"s, the messenger was out of sight, and Aang cautiously approached Zuko as he collapsed into his desk chair, rubbing his temples.

"I see you've doubled security." Aang noted lightly, referring to the guards posted at nearly every entryway or door. Zuko didn't answer, staring down at his desk, eyes unfocused. Aang perched on the chair in front of him, his eyes narrow with worry. "Zuko-"

"I shouldn't have let her out of my sight." Zuko's voice was muffled behind his hands, but Aang could still hear his voice crack. "She went around the corner for only a few minutes and-"

"Zuko, she's YOUR bodyguard." Aang reminded, propping his staff against the desk and leaning forward. Zuko glared up at him but didn't argue. "It's not like you're supposed to protect her from assassins. She isn't the target."

"Then why did they do this to her?" Zuko threw his hands up in the air, the candles and torches in the room flaring. "Why did they to this to her instead of me? I'm their target!"

Aang sat quietly for a moment. "That's a good point, actually." he replied quietly. "Toph was really good at her job, Zuko. They might have been trying to get her out of the way."

Zuko shook his head in defeat. "I can't believe I let this happen, I should have-"

"Look." Aang interrupted him gently, grabbing his staff and standing. "You really need to sleep. I'll make sure to tell Sokka and Katara about the alarm system within the bedchambers and we'll take turns keeping watch."

Zuko stood reluctantly, but he knew Aang was determined, so he nodded. "I'll take first watch," He offered, rubbing his good eye.

Aang blinked in surprise, and his expression quickly turned into exasperation. "What? No! The entire point is that you desperately need sleep!" Zuko opened his mouth to protest, but Aang cut him off. "We'll be fine, Zuko." Aang insisted, opening the door for him. "I'm the Avatar."

Zuko stared at him for a moment before finally walking past him, muttering, "I know you're the damn Avatar." as he headed toward his bedchambers. Aang followed close behind him, determined to make sure Zuko went into his room to sleep.

And he did. He followed Zuko all the way down two flights of stairs, down two hallways, across the ballroom, and down the hallway toward his bedchambers. As they reached the double doors, Zuko looked back at Aang and nodded before going into his chambers and shutting the door behind him. Satisfied, Aang turned around and looked at the hallway of doors.

He just had to figure out which room was Sokka's so they could keep watch. He didn't want to bother Katara...she seemed stressed enough and probably needed her sleep.

His own eyelids were heavy, but Aang knew he had to stay awake. He had incredible discipline - he was the Avatar, after all. The last Airbender - the last of the Air Nomads. His self control was impeccable. He wouldn't fall asleep while on watch.

He would still find Sokka, though. Just in case.

Katara jerked awake as a loud grinding sound echoed behind her. She sat up quickly, blinking the sleep out of her eyes and looking behind the couch to see the stone wall moving.

No, that was silly. Walls didn't move.

But this wall was, indeed, moving, and Katara wasn't awake enough yet to do anything but stare with her mouth hanging open as a panel of the wall slid toward her, then rumbled to the side. Katara blinked, even more confused as she saw that it was Zuko who was moving the stone panel, and he was moving it as if it weighed nothing. There was a large room behind him, and he hadn't noticed her sitting on the couch in front of him with her eyes wide, as he was yawning broadly. He stepped forward and turned, sliding the panel back into its place and pushing it until it was flush with the wall. He turned lazily, his eyes unfocused, and

"HOLY SHIT!" Zuko jumped into a firebending stance, nearly knocking a candle off a sidetable as he saw Katara. His chest heaved in panic and his eyes were wide, but he stood there frozen as Katara stood up, her hair a frizzled mess from sleeping on the couch.

"Zuko!" She gasped, looking back at the wall. She could faintly see the outline of the panel he had just pushed back into place. "Zuko, I am so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!" She gazed at him apologetically, her heart thundering at the terrified look in his eyes. "I fell asleep here after you left, I'm so sorry-"

Zuko lowered his hands, but before he could say anything, his legs buckled beneath him and he crumpled to the ground.

Suddenly much more awake and incredibly confused, Katara threw herself to the ground beside him. "Zuko!" She cried, rolling him over onto his back. He groaned, looking up at her faintly.

Suddenly Katara was somewhere else - she was outside of the palace, kneeling on the pavement over Zuko's charred body, tears streaming down her cheeks. Everything glowed blue. The air was smokey, and buildings were on fire all around her. She had barely been able to save him that day…she had almost let him die after he saved her life. The smell of burning flesh, the static in the air...it still haunted her.

Zuko's grunt of pain brought her back to the present. Sozin's comet was over, it had been over for four years. Azula wasn't here. Zuko hadn't been struck by lightning.

"Zuko," Katara said gently, helping him sit up as he held his head in pain. "What's

wrong? What just happened?"

"I don't know…" Zuko muttered, shaking his head as if to clear it. "I think I blacked out for a second. I'm fine."

"Here, sit up on this chair." Katara fussed, helping him up onto the couch and checking his head for a fever. "You really should be getting some rest, Zuko. You look like lady Death herself-"

"I know, I know…" Zuko groaned, waving her off. "Aang already gave me a lecture about how I need to sleep and take care of myself, blah blah blah."

Katara frowned at him, sitting next to him on the cushions. "Well, you know he's right, of course."

Zuko let Katara check his vitals, and as she finished, he looked up at her, his lips drawn into a thin line. "I'm sorry, Katara."

Cocking her head in confusion, Katara pulled her legs up onto the couch with her. "For what, passing out for a second? There's no need to-"

"No, no, not that." Zuko interrupted, suppressing a laugh. He quickly became serious when Katara stared at him questioningly. "I'm just…I'm sorry for how I treated you earlier." Zuko admitted, having a hard time meeting her eyes. "You were doing everything you could, you just got here, and I haven't seen you in years, you didn't deserve that. I really am sorry for taking things out on you."

Katara smiled faintly, patting his forearm in reassurance. "You're under a lot of stress, Zuko." She smiled sympathetically, and Zuko resisted the urge to scoff. "Stress makes us angry. I know you're just worried about Toph. I am too, that's why I got so angry back at you." Katara shook her head, pulling her hands into her lap. "Sometimes it's easier to be angry and blame someone else than to feel helpless."

They sat in silence for a few moments, the torches and candles flickering softly.

"She's younger than her."

Katara blinked. "What? Who?"

Zuko rolled his head to look at the large bed, where Toph still lay peacefully. "Toph." He said softly. "She's two years younger than Azula."

Katara didn't know what to say to this, so she just nodded.

"I never felt like Azula was my family." Zuko's voice was emotionless, but Katara could see the pain in his bloodshot eyes. "My father drove us apart when we were young. I never felt like I had a sister." Zuko closed his eyes, his eyebrows furrowing. "Toph feels more like a sister to me than Azula ever has."

Katara remained at a loss for words, so she just sat there, wishing she knew how to help.

"Do you know what's sad, Katara?" Zuko looked up and met her eyes, and for the first time, Katara saw her friend. Not the Fire Lord, not the exiled prince who had chased Aang around the world - she saw one of her closest friends, one that she hadn't seen in years. "I never felt any love for Azula. But now that she's practically gone - a living corpse of a human being - I miss her." Zuko barked out a humorless laugh. "Isn't that pathetic? What am I supposed to miss?"

"Zuko…" Katara struggled to know what to say. "She's your sister. Of course it's hard for you to see her that way."

Zuko turned away from her, staring at the small mound under the blankets on the bed. "This isn't how it was supposed to go, Katara." He whispered, his eyes growing unfocused. "I was supposed to be crowned Fire Lord, marry Mai, and begin to right the wrongs of my father. So far I've successfully dragged all of my friends into a dangerous political mess that I don't even understand," His voice rose with anger, and Zuko paused, pinching the bridge of his nose as if to calm himself. "I can't trust anybody. My own Fire Sages are trying to sabotage me, and I can't even root out the traitors within my own palace."

Katara frowned slightly. "...where's Mai?"

Zuko sighed, leaning his head against the back of the sofa. "She left over a year ago."

Katara's heart sank. "I'm sorry, Zuko."

"She said I was too uptight, that I was too scared." Zuko threw his hands up in exasperation. "What was I supposed to do? There had been multiple assassination attempts on my life! I couldn't continue to have a public relationship with her, or she would be in incredible danger!" Zuko sat back in the sofa, his eyes narrowed in anger. "I wasn't going to just...risk her life like that!"

Katara nodded. "Understandable," She reassured softly. "You wanted to keep her safe."

Zuko closed his eyes again. "She thought I was being too paranoid. She told me that if our relationship wasn't public, we wouldn't have a relationship. So I sent her away."

"That's extremely selfless, Zuko. I can't imagine how hard that must've been." Katara leaned against the back of the sofa as well, staring up at the high, black ceilings. "I'm sorry all of this is happening - you don't deserve any of it. We're going to figure this out. I promise."

Zuko chuckled softly. "Aang has been telling me that for the last three years, Katara."

"Well, me and Sokka haven't been here." She replied stubbornly, folding her arms across her chest. "We're going to figure this out, Zuko. They can't dethrone you, we won't let them start another war, and we certainly won't let them kill you." Katara huffed with suppressed anger. "There are more of us now. They thought it was a good idea to request my presence? They'll regret it."

Zuko laughed more loudly this time, looking up at her, his eyes shining. "I forgot how much hope you always have in that stupid head of yours." He sniffed, looking back up at the ceiling as well. "If you're right - if we actually all make it out of this - I owe you one."

"I'm going to hold you to that." Katara couldn't keep the smile out of her voice. "And you'll regret it."

Zuko chuckled softly before he winced, and Katara looked back down at him in concern. Zuko tried to brush off the movement, but Katara reached forward and pushed on his shoulder, and he flinched away. "Ow!" He snapped, pulling away from her.

"What happened?" Katara moved forward, pulling his arm out of his jacket and lifting his shirt sleeve up. A dark, bruising burn was seared into his skin, and Katara blinked at the faint smell of burning flesh.

Her lightning was blue, her fire was blue, and the air was full of static. She had to save him before it was too late, before she couldn't help him anymore, before he was gone-

"Katara?"

Shaking her head, Katara brought herself back to the present. Zuko was staring at her, his eyes narrowed with worry, and Katara realized she must have been frozen with fear for an unnaturally long amount of time.

"Sorry," She mumbled, "I'm fine, just a second. Stay here." She commanded him, and he obeyed, not having the energy to argue. Katara jogged around the massive bed to the water basin, which was still sitting on the bedside table, bent the water out of the bowl, and made her way quickly back to Zuko.

She sat back down on the couch, forming the water around her hand and pressing it against the burn. Zuko hissed slightly, but didn't pull away. A turquoise glow lit up the dim room as Katara healed the burn as much as possible, hoping she could alleviate some of the pain.

After she was sure she had healed as much as she could for the moment, she pulled her hand away, bending the water across the room and back into the basin. She inspected the area, feeling satisfied with the shade of the scarring. She massaged the area, analyzing the scar tissue underneath the skin, and concluded that it should be much less uncomfortable for Zuko. Hopefully the area would be less painful to apply pressure to. Convinced she had done what she could, Katara sat back, staring in frustration at the Fire Lord.

"You know," She glared at him as he slipped his arm back into his jacket sleeve. "You could have told me about that earlier."

Zuko avoided her gaze. "It wasn't a big deal." He mumbled.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Do you know what else wasn't a big deal?" she snapped, her voice rising slightly. "Taking a few minutes to heal a wound that was obviously very painful! When did you get that burn?"

Zuko stared at his hands, still unwilling to meet her eyes. "Last night." He admitted. "The assassin was a firebender, I took a hit because I was trying to protect Toph."

"And you didn't even treat it?" Katara resisted the urge to slap him. "Zuko, you could have gotten an infection! It could have made you extremely sick!"

Zuko blinked. "I just...I just wanted people to help Toph first."

Katara put her head in her hands, contemplating whether or not she should burst out of the room and find Aang. She had a half mind to tell him all of the brainless idiocy Zuko had the nerve to speak in her presence and watch Aang recite Air Nomad proverbs until Zuko begged for mercy. But she decided against it, looking up into Zuko's exhausted face.

"You're not thinking clearly." She stated. Zuko suppressed a smile at her tone, which had absolutely no questioning in it. "You need to sleep."

"I've tried-" Zuko groaned, looking back at the wall with the hidden panel. "I tried before I came over here, I can't-"

"Lay down right here then." Katara instructed. Zuko stared at her in disbelief.

"You don't mean…" Zuko pointed at the cushions beneath him. "You want me to sleep on this couch?"

"I slept on it for quite a few hours, it seems." Katara mused, moving herself to a plush chair. "It's actually quite comfortable."

"But-"

"There are guards outside, right?" she interrupted Zuko's protest, and he slammed his jaw shut, nodding reluctantly. "Aang woke me up for a second to tell me that he and Sokka were going to take turns keeping watch, too. I'll stay up and keep watch in here, since I just got a few good hours of sleep."

Zuko opened his mouth to argue, but wasn't sure what to say. Katara looked expectantly at him, waiting for him to lay down.

Zuko slowly rested his head on the arm of the sofa,, slightly embarrassed at how heavy his eyelids were. Katara sat across from him, staring with concern at Toph's peaceful frame.

It's almost like the old days, he thought lazily, pulling his legs up under him, back when taking turns staying up for watch, helping each other, healing each other…

He opened his eyes quickly, his vision swimming with exhaustion, but he forced himself to sit up slightly. "Katara," he rasped. He cleared his throat of the sleep that had already settled there, and Katara looked up as her name was spoken. "Katara...I'm sorry I haven't written to you very much these past years." Zuko apologized, his eyes aching with tiredness. "I'm sorry I didn't visit, either. It doesn't feel fair that the first time I see you and Sokka after so long, it's under such horrible circumstances." He shook his head, laying it back down onto the arm of the sofa.

Katara leaned forward, her hair-loopies swinging in front of her face. "Zuko, you've had ten times more on your plate than Sokka and I combined." She shook her head, dissent evident in her voice. "I didn't take anything personally. You still took the time to write to us every couple of months, which was really nice." Katara's face softened as she looked at Zuko, who's eyes had fluttered closed. "You should have told us how much you were struggling." She said to him softly. "We would have come earlier. We would have helped you."

Zuko didn't answer, and Katara quickly added, "We wouldn't have come because we think you can't handle things by yourself. But we are your friends, and we want to help you." She glanced back over at Toph, missing her friend's witty remarks more than ever. "You really should realize that it takes courage to ask for help sometimes, Zuko. There isn't honor in trying to do everything by yourself when it's impossible. It's a fight you will lose, and it only makes you look like a prideful man who can't let go of his ego."

Zuko still didn't answer. "I'm sorry if I'm being too forward," Katara pulled her knees up to her chest on the plush seat, looking back up into the dark ceiling. "I've just missed you guys. You, and Aang, and Toph. And Suki." Katara ran her fingers through her hair, pulling out a few tangles. "I'm really glad we're all here, Zuko. Can you believe we're all in the Fire Nation at this very moment? For the first time since your coronation? We could bring everyone together, just like the old times." Katara chuckled to herself. "We can figure this out together. I know we can." Katara smiled widely despite herself. "If you don't think we can, you're just being stubborn."

Katara looked back down at Zuko, who hadn't made so much as a movement the entire time she had spoken. Katara leaned forward slightly in order to see his face. "...Zuko?"

But Zuko had already fallen asleep.


	3. All Together Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Kyoshi Warriors reach the palace. Suki and Ty Lee reunite with their old friends, and after they've explained everything, Ty Lee is taken to Toph. The rest of the Gaang catches up a little bit before being notified that Toph is awake, and finally, the whole Gaang reunites. They discuss the attack briefly before just enjoying each other's company. This ends abruptly when Zuko has a family emergency - and refuses to let anyone come help him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back, my friends! As always, please comment if you have any reactions, and don't forget that this chapter is currently *unrevised*! I hope you like chapter three!

"Wake up."

Sokka groaned, rolling over into a wall. His shoulder was sore from sleeping on the stone floors. He swatted away the hand poking at his face, grunting in annoyance. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and sat up slightly, his hair falling into his face.

"I forgot how much of a heavy sleeper you are." Aang sniffed, poking him again. "Get up, we need to find Katara. I checked a few rooms and I couldn't find her."

Sokka mumbled to himself, sitting up. He was in the hallway outside of Zuko's bedchambers, exhausted from staying up half of the night. After he and Aang spent some time catching up, they began taking watch in shifts. The night had been uneventful, thankfully - no assassins attempted to creep by them. "I think…" Sokka paused while he yawned, "I think Katara is still in Toph's room." He finished, beginning to stand. "I checked on her while you were gone with Zuko last night, and she had fallen asleep on the couch."

Aang leaned against the wall, smiling wearily. "Let's let Zuko sleep for a while longer," He suggested, "We should let Katara choose a bedchamber to move her stuff into." Aang looked down the long, dim hallway, frowning. "Where is her luggage, anyways?"

"I moved it into my room for the time being." Sokka pointed to the room next to Aang's. "She asked me to put her stuff in the room across from mine - the one next to Toph's - but I was too lazy."

Aang laughed, his eyes twinkling. "Well, I'll let you tell her about that. Come on, let's get her. She probably won't appreciate needing to haul all of her stuff across the hall, but that's your problem to deal with." Aang giggled as Sokka swung a light punch at him, missing completely.

Aang knocked lightly before entering Toph's room. Sokka followed behind him. "Kataraaa!" Sokka sang with exaggerated vibrato. "It's time to get up! Wakey wakey!"

Aang stopped shortly into the room, his eyes bulging in confusion. Sokka looked around Aang and blinked. "Zuko?"

Katara was rubbing her eyes, awkwardly slouched in the cushioned seat across from the couch. She straightened up, stretching, her hair tangled and frizzy. Zuko stirred slightly, rolling over to face the back of the couch, but fell back asleep.

Aang's mouth fell open. "How did you get in here?" He asked loudly, causing Zuko to jump, falling off of the couch. He scrambled to his feet quickly, about to get into a firebending stance, when he realized it was just Aang, and he fell back onto the couch, holding his chest.

"Damn it, Aang!" Zuko panted, closing his eyes as he tried to calm himself. "You guys need to stop scaring me like that!"

Katara, awake enough to realize what was going on, looked up at Aang and smiled sleepily. "Morning!" She mumbled, yawning. "Did you guys get some sleep last night?"

"Yeah, some." Sokka shrugged. His eyes narrowed as he continued, "We didn't get much, though, because we were standing guard outside of Zuko's room. I'm really glad we did, since it would have been a shame for an assassin to break in and murder Zuko in his sleep. Oh, wait!" Sokka snapped, stepping toward Zuko. "He wasn't in there, anyway! I'm SO glad I was guarding an empty room, since that's my life's ambition! To guard the Fire Lord's EMPTY ROOM!" He threw his arms up and Zuko raised his eyebrows, not impressed.

Aang looked back and forth between Katara and Zuko before finally asking, "How did you get in here?" He pointed toward the door, which still hung open, the torches in the cold, stone hallway flickering. "I watched you go into your bedchambers with my own two eyes!" Aang pointed at his eyes as if to demonstrate. "And Sokka and I stood watch all night, I'm absolutely POSITIVE you never left!"

Zuko stood up, twisting around to crack his back. It was surprising how much better he felt after a few hours of sleep. "I probably should have shown you this before, but I didn't think to tell you. Hold on." Zuko walked around the couch, still stretching, and pushed on the stone wall. Sokka's mouth dropped open as the stone easily moved at his touch, sliding about a foot into the wall before rumbling to the side, revealing a spacious chamber on the other side - Zuko's room.

Sokka pointed, his mouth still open. "No way." He gasped. "Is that a hidden door?"

Zuko rolled his eyes, pulling on a ridge in the stone panel and sliding it back into place. "...Yes. All of the rooms in this hallway are connected by these panels." Zuko pushed on the door again, demonstrating. "They have ridges in the stone that you can hold onto to pull them out, or you can push." He looked over at them, shrugging. "Pushing it is easier. It'll naturally slide to the side. It goes both ways, so you can push or pull from either room."

Aang was still astonished. "How…" he trailed off for a moment before resuming. "How are all of the rooms connected?"

Zuko sighed, walking to the other side of the room and feeling along the wall for a few moments. He finally found the panel, and he pushed it forward, opening the doorway into the room beside Toph's - the room that was soon to become Katara's.

Katara stared with interest as Zuko closed the panel. "I was wondering about that last night. So, the rooms are connected through a 'U' shape?"

Zuko walked back to sit on the couch, nodding. "Exactly."

"How long were you in here?" Sokka demanded, folding his arms across his chest. Zuko repressed a snort.

"Relax, Sokka." Zuko picked up his jacked and pulled it back on. "I tried to sleep for a few hours, but I couldn't, I was too worried about Toph. I thought I'd try and sleep in here to ease my mind."

Katara stood up, smiling. "He scared me," She admitted, trying not to smile. "He came through that panel in the wall while I was sleeping, but the sound woke me up, and-"

Zuko shook his head. "I about shit myself, she scared me so badly." He chuckled. "I didn't think she'd be in here."

Noticing Sokka's look of suspicion, Katara rolled her eyes. "We talked for a little bit, he had a burn, I healed it, we both fell asleep." She recounted, folding her arms.

Aang looked up at Zuko. "You had a burn?"

Zuko shot an annoyed look at Katara. "Yes, I did. I'm fine now."

Before they could ask any more questions, heavy footsteps entered the room, and they all turned to see Zuko's messenger. The exhausted man pointed halfheartedly behind him, blinking wearily. "The woman you requested is here, my Lord." He said unenthusiastically. "Ty Lee. The rest of the Kyoshi Warriors insisted they come with her. They're waiting for you on the steps of the Palace."

Zuko stood up quickly, pushing the hair out of his eyes. "I'll be there as quickly as possible. I need two guards posted at the entrance to this room."

The messenger nodded and left quickly. Zuko turned to his friends, suddenly wide awake. "I'll meet you guys in the hallway in a few minutes, why don't you guys take time to change if you need to, as well."

They nodded, and Katara turned to Sokka. "Which room did you put my stuff in?" She asked brightly.

Sokka winced. "Uh, I just put it all in my room."

Katara's face fell. "It was too much work for you to take a few bags across the hall?" She crossed her arms, eyebrows raised.

"Yes! Thank you so much for understanding, I'll put your bags in the hallway, your room is right next door." Sokka was halfway through the door before Katara could process what he had said, and as she opened her mouth to protest, Aang reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Are you okay?" He asked, worry evident in his grey eyes. Katara frowned up at him.

"Of course I'm okay." She reassured him, patting his hands. "I just wanted to stay here with Toph, I fell asleep, and Zuko surprised me. It was nice to be able to have an actual conversation with him after all this time" Katara pulled away from him as she yawned, walking leisurely toward the door. "I really need to change. See you in a few minutes!"

o0o0o

Suki stood among her warriors, who were mumbling in annoyance. The sun had barely risen above the horizon, and they had already been up for at least an hour. The innkeeper was a sweet woman, but she didn't hesitate to bang on their doors and demand them outside immediately when the Fire Lord's messenger showed up. After talking with the man, they travelled for a quarter of an hour under the starlight, approaching the palace just as the sun rose.

Now, they waited for the Fire Lord.

Suki hadn't seen Zuko in years. She hadn't bothered to write to him, and she felt guilty about that. She never grew as close to him as she did with other members of their old team, but he was still a part of that team, and there was a level of trust and vulnerability that had been established that would always be there.

Suki looked up at the large doors to the palace, snapping her mind back to her priorities. Why did Zuko want to see Ty Lee? And how did he know that the Kyoshi Warriors were here? It was no secret, of course - but it wasn't information they were keen to spread, either.

Ty Lee stood beside her, eyes as wide as ever. They had grown close in the last few years, Ty Lee acting as Suki's second in command. The Kyoshi Warriors were always a force to be reckoned with, but with Ty Lee's training in Chi blocking and acrobatics, they had become incredibly skilled, both individually and as a group. Suki was growing increasingly concerned that they were outgrowing Kyoshi island.

Suki was so lost in thought she hardly noticed the warriors around her hushing quickly, staring up the stairs. She continued to frown in concentration until Ty Lee gasped, her eyes (somehow) widening even further. "Zuko!" She squealed, bounding up a few of the stairs.

Suki looked up in shock, finally noticing the Fire Lord standing a few feet away from her, awkwardly hugging Ty Lee. The guards on either side of Zuko stepped forward slightly, but he shook his head, and they retreated. A few more people stepped up behind Zuko, and Suki had to blink a few times to realize she wasn't seeing things.

It was Sokka.

Beside herself, Suko ran up the stairs, shoved the Fire Lord aside, and threw her arms around Sokka. She nearly knocked him down, but he managed to keep the momentum by spinning her around, lifting her off the ground in a sweeping hug and burying his face into her shoulder.

She pulled away after a few moments, staring up at him. He was really here. She hadn't seen Sokka for over a year, since he had last visited her on Kyoshi island. He grinned at her stupidly, leaning down-

"Suki!"

Pulling away, Suki braced herself to wrap her arms around Katara, who embraced her fiercely. She took a step back, holding Suki by the shoulders. "You look amazing!" Katara gushed, admiring Suki's new gloves. "I can't believe you guys got all dressed up to come over here!"

Aang walked up behind Katara, smiling broadly. They hugged briefly, and he looked behind her at the crowd of warriors. "Wow, Suki." Aang nodded, impressed. "You've managed to at least double the size of this group since I saw you last."

Suki smirked, stepping into Sokka's chest so that he could put his arm around her. "Actually, we've tripled in size." She bragged. "There are 24 of us, plus me and Ty Lee."

"Agni save me, is that Aang?"

The group turned around to look at another Kyoshi Warrior, who was smiling widely, her eyes wide. Aang smiled back, waving awkwardly.

Ty Lee crushed him in a hug before moving onto Katara, who hugged her back, giggling. Aang's eyes widened as he realized it was Ty Lee. "I haven't seen you guys in years!" She cried ecstatically, turning to hug Sokka. Suki was still wrapped in his arms, so Ty Lee settled to punch him in the arm a few times.

Zuko walked up to them, smiling to himself. "Hello, Suki." He held out his hand, but Suko pushed it aside and hugged him for a few moments. Though Ty Lee had just done the same, this still took Zuko off guard, and he had only just returned the hug when Suki pulled away.

Suki looked around at the group. "It's so good to see you all again." She struggled to keep the strain out of her voice, unwilling to show any emotion in front of the Fire Nation soldiers. She wasn't sure what the Fire Nation viewed as weakness, but she wasn't about to give people any sort of reason to think of her in such a way. She frowned suddenly, looking around again. "Where's Toph?"

Her friends exchanged glances with one another before Zuko gestured for her and Ty Lee to follow him up to the palace. "Come," he began to walk up the stairs, "Let's go somewhere else to talk."

o0o0o

Zuko led them through a few hallways , a few meters in front of the rest of the group. Ty Lee was asking Katara all about her hair, what she washed it with, if she put any creams in it, if she braided it herself - and Suki was busy whispering with Sokka.

Zuko slowed as they approached the courtyard, and he sat on one of the stone benches, waving for them all to sit. The rest of the group sat down - the four benches were arranged in a square shape, and silence ensued as Zuko cleared his throat.

He looked seriously at Ty Lee. "I'm sorry to have to ask this of you-"

"It's okay!" Ty Lee replied quickly, her voice cheery. Suki elbowed her in the ribs, and Ty Lee giggled as if it tickled her.

Zuko looked at her for a moment, startled at her eagerness, before resuming, "...yes, okay. Well, um…" He cleared his throat, readjusting his topknot. Damn, he hated that topknot. "There was an another assassination attempt on my life two nights ago."

Ty Lee and Suki both gasped. "Another?" Suki demanded, sitting on the edge of her seat. "How many have there been?"

"I forget exactly how many." Zuko pursed his lips, looking behind him at the entrance back into the ballroom. "I do know that it was the eighth attempt this year."

Ty Lee shook her head. "It's not even summertime yet!"

Zuko ignored her, continuing to explain. "I was able to defend myself, but Toph has been unconscious - in a sleep-like state - ever since I found her in the hallway that night. She was already passed out when I got to her."

Suki sat back on the bench, cursing under her breath. Ty Lee's eyes were wide with concern, the gray orbs looking larger due to the red paint above them.

Zuko looked down at his hands, seeming to struggle with his next words. Katara jumped in to help. "I tried to heal her," she explained, "but I couldn't. But I did feel something…" Katara chewed on her lip. "I'm not sure how to describe it. The best way I know how to describe it is that her Chi is...frozen."

There was a sharp intake of breath, and everyone turned to look at Ty Lee. She leaned forward on her bench. "Someone sedated her Chi?" She whispered, utterly fascinated. Frowning at her reaction, Katara nodded.

Zuko moved his head slightly to catch Ty Lee's eyes. "Do you know anything about this condition?" He pressed, his eyes boring into her. "Can you help?"

Ty Lee sat up straighter, her eyes flashing with excitement. "Well, I might be a little rusty-" she began, cracking her knuckles. "-but I definitely can help!"

Zuko seemed to sag with relief. Katara stood up, her hands clenched in front of her in desperation. "How did this happen to her?" She asked angrily, much to the surprise of everyone else. "What did they do?"

Ty Lee's face fell slightly, and she sat back on the bench, still daintily poised. "Stimulating or sedating someone's Chi takes much more time than blocking it." She explained, pulling off her gloves and setting them in her lap. "Chi-blocking is only pressing a few pressure points. Sedating someone's Chi, or slowing it down, takes a few minutes at least - being able to completely stop the flow of the Chi is a thorough process."

Katara sat back down next to Aang, who was paying close attention. Zuko sat next to Aang, his head in his hands. "What did they do to Toph?" Aang repeated Katara's question.

Ty Lee chewed the inside of her lip, thinking for a moment. "It's a specific procedure, kind of like a massage." Zuko looked up at her, revolted. Noticing his reaction, Ty Lee quickly added, "Don't worry, it's not...invasive."

Suki, who was still leaning against Sokka, nodded in understanding. "They must have Chi-blocked her and sedated her Chi while she was paralyzed." Suki's nose shriveled in disgust. "That would be so awful. How long do you think she was conscious?"

"Once Chi is completely sedated, it's impossible to spend any energy being awake." Ty Lee shook her head, her large eyes closing softly in sympathy. "Your body is able to regulate itself -"

Sokka interrupted eagerly. "Homeostasis!" He exclaimed, causing Suki to jump.

Ty Lee stared at him blankly for a moment before nodding. "...okay, well, anyways...as long as you guys have been keeping her fed and hydrated, she should recover in a few days. She'll be weak at first, her muscles will be very tight, and she might not be totally herself for a few days, but there are no lasting effects. If she hasn't had the proper supply of food and water, her body will have been straining to keep itself balanced, and it'll take much longer."

Zuko waved her off, sitting up straighter. "I've been making sure she gets everything she needs."

"So," Aang asked quickly, holding his staff tightly. "You can...fix it?"

Ty Lee smiled widely. "I can restimulate her Chi, yes."

Aang stood up quickly, his eyes determined. "Well, let's go, then!"

As everyone stood up to move down the hallway, Ty Lee called after them. "Wait!"

The group turned to look at her. She blushed slightly, jogging toward them lightly. "This is going to take at least a quarter of an hour," she explained apologetically, "And it's a much more...extensive process than sedation. It's completely appropriate-" She assured Zuko, who's body had tensed. "-but it's like a massage." She blushed again, looking at Katara. "It would be inappropriate for, um, boys to be present while-"

"Okay, yeah." Zuko's face flushed as well, which made Suki laugh. "I'll have one of the guards take you to her chambers, we'll wait out here. I'm sure Toph would appreciate having the least amount of people possible in there."

After Ty Lee had disappeared down the hallway, the rest of the group settled back onto the benches. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Aang spoke up,

"When Toph wakes up, we can have a reunion."

Zuko glanced up at Aang, who was grinning nostalgically. He couldn't resist smiling back at him and Sokka sighed. "We got the dream team back together." He sighed, putting his arm around Suki. "Once Toph is awake, it'll be just like old times."

Aang's face fell slightly, and Katara put her hand on his back, concerned. "What's wrong, Aang?" She asked.

Aang shook his head before looking up at her with a smile. "Nothing, it was stupid." Katara glared at him for a few moments. "Okay, I'm just having a hard time enjoying the moment," Aang admitted, propping his staff against the bench as he leaned back. "We haven't all been together in years, and it probably won't last very long."

A terse silence hung over the group, and Sokka pulled Suki closer to him. She let herself snuggle into his chest, completely lost in thought. "Zuko, you're having...loyalty problems with your staff, right?" She began, looking over at him. The Fire Lord met her eyes, surprised by the question, and nodded, glancing back at the guards at the edge of the courtyard. Suki pursed her lips, her brain whirling. "I need to get the girls off of Kyoshi island." She sighed. "We're too big for that tiny place, and we're too talented."

Zuko nodded, his face still completely confused. "Understandable," He replied simply, unsure of where this was going.

Suko sat up straight, pulling away from Sokka a bit, which made him frown. "We should stay." She declared, folding her arms across her chest. Zuko's eyebrows arched in bewilderment. "The Kyoshi Warriors are the perfect size to be your personal guard."

Understanding dawning on him, Zuko shook his head. "No, Suki, I can't ask that of you. Toph has been doing a great job as my bodyguard, and-"

Suki wouldn't hear it. "Zuko, I love and respect Toph, but you can't expect her to protect you all by herself. And you shouldn't be so preoccupied with your own safety that you can't run your own nation." She nodded her head, as if things were decided. "Your actions in removing the Fire Nation from Earth Kingdom territory and providing reparations have earned you great respect from my warriors." Suki smiled, her eyes crinkling, and she settled back into Sokka's arms (much to his delight). "Ty Lee and I both speak very highly of you, as well, which only affirms their allegiance."

Zuko, still unconvinced, pressed his lips into a thin line. "I don't know, Suki…" He paused to think for a moment. "How do you know that your warriors won't be convinced to join a rebellion?"

Suki chuckled at the thought. "All of my warriors, except for Ty Lee, are from the Earth Kingdom." She said, as if this explained everything. At the confused looks from the rest of the group, she sighed and continued, "They have no personal reasons to turn against you, Zuko. Unless you have committed a great personal grievance against them and are unwilling to make amends, they will respect you and your position." Suki leaned back slightly, humor in her eyes. "They also respect me, so if I trust you, they'll trust you."

Zuko looked at Aang for advice, who shrugged. "I think it sounds like a pretty good idea." Aang admitted, pulling his feet up to sit cross-legged on the bench.

Sokka leaned forward eagerly. "This is a GREAT idea!" He exclaimed, pulling Suki closer to him. "We can tackle all of this shit TOGETHER!"

Zuko sat for a moment before agreeing. "I'll have some guards take them into the royal hallway." He decided, standing up. Sokka's mouth dropped open, and Zuko rolled his eyes. "There's, what, a few dozen of you?" Suki nodded, and Zuko continued, "I have at least twenty rooms still open in that hallway, and each room is a complete suite. You can comfortably fit four to six people in each chamber. It'll work out well." Zuko paused, looking off into the distance, his eyes unfocused. "I'd rather have everybody close together." He said softly.

Zuko blinked back into reality before turning to speak to the guards, who quickly left. He came back over to sit on his bench, and nodded to himself, as if he was still trying to convince himself he made the right decision.

Out of the blue, Aang began to giggle. They all looked up at him in surprise. "What?" Katara asked.

"You know how Toph pushes people around and punches them to show affection?" Aang's eyes were squeezed shut in laughter, and they all murmured in agreement. "Well, she's gonna totally beat our asses when she wakes up!"

They all began to laugh - even Zuko chuckled, shaking his head. Suki leaned forward. "Guys, do you remember when we were training together?" She asked, her eyes twinkling. "Before Sozin's Comet? And it was all of us against Toph?"

Zuko actually laughed this time, throwing his head back. "She called herself Melon Lord," He remembered, his chest still shaking in laughter. "And at the time, it was actually scary."

"Does she still have her champion belt from Earth Rumble?" Sokka asked, his eyes lighting up greedily.

Zuko flashed him a look of warning. "That's one of her most prized possessions," He shook his finger at Sokka, who sat back in disappointment.

"Remember when Zuko went to one of the earth kingdoms?" Katara frowned, trying to remember which one it was. "You had just pulled out the Fire Nation's occupying forces, Zuko, and you wanted to be there personally to announce the reparations you would be paying."

Zuko's face fell. "I thought we agreed never to talk about that...incident."

Suki doubled over with laughter, struggling to speak, "Why wouldn't we talk about when Toph took over your speech?" She sat back up, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I felt so bad that they weren't listening to you…" Katara shook her head, giving into her own laughter. "But Suki is right - the fact that the citizens wouldn't listen to you but immediately listened to Toph was absolutely hilarious!"

"What was it she said?" Sokka wheezed, pointing his finger and frowning in a pretty spot-on Toph impression. "Listen up, you babbling idiots!" He quoted, his voice slightly higher. "I am the greatest Earthbender in the world, and I'm here to advise you to listen to Sparky, here, because he's trying to give you all money, and it would be fucking stupid to tell him off before he has the chance!"

Even Zuko couldn't resist laughing. Katara was doubled over on the bench next to Aang, who was holding his belly. Suki's eyes were tearing up from laughing so hard, and Katara began to hiccup.

"Oh, man…" Suki chuckled, catching her breath as she wiped her eyes. "Zuko you should really consider Toph as your official spokesperson."

Zuko folded his arms, a smile tugging on his lips. Aang pointed at him, laughing hysterically. "Well," Zuko began, "if you really think that-"

"My Lord!"

The group quieted quickly as a guard came jogging up, her armor clanking. The guard had her helmet under one arm while the other hand rested on the hilt of her sword, which was large and hung at her waist. She bowed to Zuko respectfully before continuing. "Mistress Ty Lee is requesting your presence in Master Beifong's room, My Lord."

Zuko stood up quickly, his eyes wide. "Thank you, Hizula." He barely gestured for the rest of the group to follow him before he began walking at an uncomfortably fast pace down the long, stone hallway. Much to Suki's delight, the Kyoshi Warriors were moving the last of their luggage into their rooms, and she smiled broadly at a few of them as she hurried by. Katara didn't fail to notice that Suki's own bags were piled in front of Sokka's chambers.

The guards in front of Toph's room quickly parted for Zuko to pass, and he opened the door swiftly. "Ty Lee?" He asked, a bit frantic. The rest of the group piled into the room, and Suki closed the door behind them

"Sorry to disappoint, but Ty Lee is in the bathroom, so I'm afraid you're stuck with me."

Zuko nearly collapsed from relief, and he took a few steps toward Toph's bed before being knocked aside by a particularly excited waterbender.

"TOPH!" Katara exclaimed, throwing herself onto the bed and wrapping her arms around Toph, who was sitting up under the covers. "I'm so glad that you're okay! How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?" Katara checked the table in which she had left the basin of water, nodding to herself after affirming that it was still there. "I can try to ease some of your discomfort if-"

"Okay, get off of my lap." Toph interrupted, pushing her slightly. Katara blinked, realizing she was sitting on Toph's legs, and moved away. The rest of the gang gathered around the bed, their greetings and well-wishes overlapping.

"Stop trapping me under these blankets, Sugar Queen, I need to get up." Toph insisted, pulling at the covers. Katara frowned, staring at the beads of sweat on Toph's skin, which was still paler than normal.

Katara didn't budge, still kneeling awkwardly on top of the covers. "You should stay in bed and rest," Katara suggested in a very demanding tone. "You need to regain your energy."

Toph pushed Katara's shoulders, causing her to fall backwards off the bed and into Sokka's legs. Sokka fell on top of Katara, and Toph happily threw the covers off of herself and stood up, wobbling slightly.

Zuko rushed to put a hand on her arm and steady her. "Are you…" the word 'okay' lingered in the air, but Zuko didn't say it. The strain in his voice and the furrowing of his eyebrows were just a few clues that it was more than a little unsettling to see Toph in such a weakened state.

Katara brushed herself off, standing up and glaring at Toph. Sokka stood up a few seconds later, groaning in annoyance. Toph smiled lightly in their direction. "So, how long have you two in the Fire Nation?" She asked in mock politeness.

"Less than a day," Aang answered quickly, smiling despite himself. After such a scare, it was relieving to see Toph acting like herself.

Now that her feet were on the ground, Toph could "see" with her bending, and she turned to look toward the rest of the group. "It's great to see you guys…" She admitted, a genuine smile spreading across her face, but she stopped after a moment and frowned in confusion. "Suki?"

"It's me, Toph." Suki chuckled, stepping forward and giving Toph a quick hug. "I'm so glad you're okay…"

Toph nodded absentmindedly. She was still frowning. "What are you doing here?"

Zuko chuckled, leading Toph over a few feet to sit on a chair. Toph reluctantly obliged after she made sure her feet were able to touch the ground. "The Kyoshi Warriors were in town, and-" He began to explain, but Toph cut him off.

"Oh, duh!" Toph smacked her head. "Ty Lee is a Kyoshi Warrior! I totally forgot."

Suki giggled, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Ty Lee was able to restimulate your Chi and wake you up."

"How are you feeling?" Katara asked again, her voice anxious.

Toph shook her head. "I'm just really tired. How long was I out?"

"A little more than a day…" Zuko frowned, still kneeling next to her. "Is it too soon to ask what happened?"

Before Toph could answer, the door behind them opened and Ty Lee walked out of the bathroom, smiling brightly. Her eyes lit up when she saw everyone gathered around Toph. "You guys are here already!" She exclaimed, jumping onto the narrow footboard of the bed and perching there easily. She turned toward Toph, the traditional Kyoshi dress draped around her legs as she squatted, her balance solid. "How are you feeling, Toph?"

"I've been awake for five fucking minutes and you guys won't stop asking me questions." Toph sniffed, folding her arms across her chest. "I'm fine, Ty Lee."

Kneeling next to Toph, Zuko nudged her, and she shoved him back, almost causing him to fall over. "I know, I know, you want to know what happened." She snapped, leaning back in her chair. "I went in the hallway to get away from Sparky, and I was just standing there. This guy punched me a few times, then I couldn't move, and he rubbed my back." Toph paused and thought for a moment. "Well, kind of. He rubbed my shoulders and my arm, too, and I think he might have rubbed one of my legs. Either that, or he stepped on it."

"Do you remember what he looked like?" Zuko demanded, his amber eyes narrowed.

Toph's head turned toward him and she sat there a few moments, processing what Zuko had just asked before finally responding. "I'm literally blind, you fucking moron."

"Right…" Zuko's head dropped in defeat, sighing. "Sorry…"

"Has this bungling idiot slept since you all got here?" Toph pointed at Zuko aggressively.

Trying not to laugh, Katara spoke up. "He slept for at least a few hours last night here on your couch, so he did get SOME rest."

"Lovely." Toph resumed crossing her arms, slouching. "So he's not delirious with exhaustion, he's just a fucking idiot."

Before he could stop himself, Sokka burst into laughter. Katara was quick to follow. "Oh, I missed you, Toph." Katara giggled, hugging her midsection.

Zuko, whose face showed no signs of humor, continued questioning Toph. "How long do you think he sedated your Chi?"

Toph pursed her lips, thinking for a few moments. "I'm not sure. I was less focused on keeping time, you know, since a painfully aggressive massage can be quite an attention grabber."

Ty Lee laughed, throwing her head back. Katara reached out to catch her, as her toes were still balancing on the footboard, but Ty Lee didn't even wobble. "Oh Toph, you're funny!" She giggled, looking at her with delight. "I forgot how uncomfortable Chi sedation is, since you have to press so hard! But don't worry, Zuko, it only takes a few minutes, remember?"

Zuko stood up, still frowning. "How did he sneak up on you?"

Toph shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? That's the point of sneaking up on someone, you dumbass." She shook her head, as if she couldn't believe she was surrounded by these idiots.

Zuko rubbed the bridge of his nose while the rest of them chortled. "I mean, how did you not know they were there?" He snapped, throwing his hands up as if she could see his frustration. "The walls and floors of this entire palace are stone!"

Toph sighed, sitting up a bit as she leaned toward Zuko. "If I didn't know they were there," she began in a falsely sweet tone, "then I don't know how they did it, now, do I?"

Sokka stared at the ceiling with a frown, speaking up as Zuko opened his mouth to argue. "The floor and ceiling of this room are made of wood."

Everyone looked at him, and Zuko raised his eyebrows. "So?"

"So, you said all of the walls and floors of the palace are made of stone!"

Zuko huffed impatiently. "Okay, fine, Sokka. All of the walls and MOST of the floors are made of stone. Some of the offices, bedchambers, and other personal rooms have wooden floors. But all of the main rooms and hallways are stone. Is that specific enough for you?" Zuko turned back to Toph, taking a deep, calming breath.

Sokka, still looking up at the dark red wood running across the high ceiling, finally glanced back down at Zuko. "Are all of the ceilings made of wood?"

Zuko paused for a moment to think. "...I think so."

Suki snapped her fingers. "That's it! Someone must have been attached to the ceiling somehow, and that way Toph didn't know they were there."

Zuko shook his head. "I don't know…"

"They have a point, Zuko." Katara interjected, putting her hands on her hips. "The hallway off of the courtyard has a pretty low ceiling. It would all make sense, if only we knew how they stuck themselves to the ceiling."

"And why they were in my palace in the first place." Zuko growled.

Sokka snorted. "Zuko, they were here to assassinate you. Right? We knew that yesterday!"

Zuko's mouth fell open, and he was about to argue when the door to the hallway burst open, a guard clambering into the room. "Fi...Fire Lord…" the guard gasped, bending over to catch his breath. Everyone tensed considerably, and Toph stood up. Ty Lee nimbly spun 180 degrees on the footbard to face the guard. "...there is...a situation…"

"Upstairs?" Zuko asked sharply, his fists clenching at his sides. The guard nodded, and without a second's hesitation, Zuko made for the door. Everyone began to follow him, including Toph, who stumbled slightly. Zuko turned when he heard his friends following him and shook his head frantically. "No, you guys can't come. Please stay here. I'll come back." Without further explanation, he broke into a run and sprinted down the hallway."

"Zuko, wait!" Katara cried, attempting to follow him. The wheezing guard blocked her path, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, miss," He panted, seeming to regain some of his breath. "But his Majesty was very clear in stating that you all were to stay in here."

"But…" Katara stared into the hallway, her face screwed up in fury. "Ugh, I hate not knowing what's going on!" She stomped her foot, walking away from the door and sitting heavily on the couch. "Did you see his face? Something bad is happening! Why doesn't he want us to help? We're his friends, that's what friends do - friends HELP each other -"

Toph placed a hand on Katara's shoulder, startling her. "Take it from me, Sweetness." she said, moving to sit next to Katara. "I've spent quite a lot of time with our dear Fire Lord over the past few years, and it's nothing personal. He just likes to keep some things private."

Aang nodded, sitting on the other side of Katara. "I'm pretty sure it's a Fire Nation thing." He sighed, letting his staff fall to his side. "I've noticed that most of the people here are much more private about their lives, and asking for help is almost viewed as weakness." Aang chuckled to himself. "It's taken me a while to get used to it. I'm still not used to it, actually." He suddenly looked up at Katara, his eyes widening. "Have I told you about the Fire Nation woman who was struggling to carry a water barrel? I offered to carry it for her, just to be polite, and I thought she was going to slap me!"

Katara giggled, her tension easing slightly. Sokka waved Aang over where he, Suki, and Ty Lee were talking, and it was just Toph and Katara once again.

Toph swallowed uncomfortably. "So, Katara. Can I ask a favor?"

Katara looked down at Toph, surprised. "Of course, Toph!" She reassured her, glad to feel needed. "Anything!"

Toph pointed at the closest nightstand. "The top drawer should have hair ties and a brush. I'm having a hard time lifting my arms very high…" As if to demonstrate, Toph held her hands in front of her, but seemed to stop once her arms were horizontal to the ground. Her teeth were gritted with frustration and her arms trembled. Toph finally let her arms down, shaking her head. "I, um, I can't do my hair."

Katara's mouth burst into a toothy grin. "Of course I'll do your hair, Toph!" She leapt up excitedly, going to grab the hair ties and brush. "Ooh, I love playing with people's hair! I wish I could do it more! Do you think I could-"

Toph held her hand up and Katara stopped. "Don't push your luck, Sugar Queen." Toph sniffed, shifting in her seat slightly so Katara could sit behind her. "Just brush out all of the bad knots and put it in a bun like normal. No fancy shit."

"Okay, Toph." Katara chuckled to herself, beginning to brush her dark black hair. "Tell me about what's been going on in your life. What have I missed?"

Toph sat for a moment as Katara brushed her hair. "Well, most of my focus has been on making sure Zuko doesn't die. I haven't actually done anything interesting."

Katara gently tugged at a particularly nasty snarl. "Is there anything you wish you could be doing?"

"I would love to go back to building up my Metalbending academy!" Toph replied immediately, uncharacteristically excited. "I haven't been around other earthbenders very much here, only Aang, and he doesn't seem to be able to Metalbend."

Katara frowned. "What do you mean?"

Toph sighed, fidgeting slightly. "Okay, that's kind of a lie. He's been able to bend Metal, but only on a really basic level. There's so much more I'm discovering I can do!" Toph's voice grew excited, which was very rare. "The more that I practice, the more possibilities I'm finding. It's incredible!"

"What have you figured out?" Katara inquired, tugging a bit more harshly at the knot, which was being extremely stubborn.

"Oh, Katara, you have no idea." Toph scoffed, letting Katara tug at the back of her head. "The thing I've been doing lately is this…" Toph flicked her wrist. A thin, metal blade with no hilt flew across the room, lodging itself into the knob of a large dresser drawer. Katara jumped slightly. Ty Lee, Sokka, Suki, and Aang looked over at the noise, but quickly resumed their conversation. "And check this out - I've been wondering about how to keep these knives on me, and I think I might be able to put them around my arms like bracelets. Look-"

Toph jerked her hand back, and the blade wrenched itself out of the wood, flying back toward the couch. Katara scrambled backward as the metal flung toward them. Before she could register completely what was going on, Toph had held up her arm, and the silver strip of metal coiled around her wrist. Katara stared at the blade...which was now a bracelet. "Toph, you scared the shit out of me!"

"Toughen up, Sugar Queen. I'm not planning on hurting someone I kind of enjoy." Toph smirked, manipulating the metal off of her wrist with her other hand until it was suspended in midair. "This is the fun part, Katara - check this out!" Katara looked away from Toph's hair to look at the metal, which Toph morphed into a shapeless blob.

Katara stared as Toph manipulated the metal into different shapes. "Toph, that looks like clay. It almost looks like...liquid!"

Toph clenched her hand into a fist and layered the metal around it before allowing it to harden. Her fist now had a metal glove.

"Look guys!"

Katara turned to look at Sokka, who was pointing at Toph. "Toph is already planning her world domination! She's going to rule with an...iron fist!"

Suki rolled her eyes while Ty Lee and Aang doubled over with laughter, and Toph scowled, wrenching the iron off of her hand and sending the metal fist flying across the room. It punched Sokka in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him before flying back to Toph, who caught it.

"Hey!" Sokka snapped, wheezing. "That was uncalled for!"

Toph pretended to throw the fist again, faking him out, and Sokka flinched. Toph pointed at him, laughing, and Katara couldn't help but chuckle as she turned back to Toph's hair. She began to gather the straight black locks to put in a bun.

"What sorts of things do you think you'll be able to do?" Katara asked, utterly fascinated.

Toph melded the metal back into a blade and lodged it back into the dresser knob before answering. "I think it would be interesting to see how I can manipulate the metal from a more liquid state. Like…" Toph paused, thinking. "Could I take someone's sword, bend the blade off of the hilt and mold it around my torso as armor? It takes away my opponent's weapon AND it gives me protection."

Katara finished Toph's bun, tapping her shoulder. Toph turned around, feeling her hair and nodding with satisfaction. "That's pretty smart, Toph." Katara shook her head, blown away. "You're pioneering an entirely new type of bending, it's absolutely incredible. We're so lucky to have you as our friend."

"Yeah, yeah." Toph waved her off, leaning back against the couch. "Can we skip the mushy stuff? I want to know about your waterbending."

Katara winced. "Oh. Well, I'm kind of stuck at the moment."

Toph turned to her eagerly. "Tell me!"

"Really?" Katara blinked in surprise. "You want to help?"

"No, I kinda want to make fun of you." Toph snorted. "I might help you, too, but I'll definitely make fun of you."

Katara burst into laughter. "Oh, I've missed you, Toph."

"What did I say about the mushy stuff, Sweetness?" Toph snapped. "Tell me the details about your bending!"

"Alright, alright…" Katara chuckled, pulling her legs up under her on the couch. "I've been avoiding bloodbending, because that's just…" she shuddered. "Awful."

"I dunno, Katara, it's one of the most powerful tools you have." Toph pointed out. "Are you sure-"

"Yeah, no, I'm not comfortable with bloodbending." Katara shook her head firmly. "It doesn't feel fair."

Toph shrugged. "Okay. That's kinda dumb, but you do you."

Katara ignored her and continued. "Healing has become instinctual for me, and I'm able to turn water to ice and back again easily. I can bend water out of plants-"

"I asked about what you're struggling with, Katara. Not to list what I know you can do." Toph interrupted. "This is getting really fucking boring."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine. I've been…" She sighed, embarrassed. "When we were with Hama, before she showed me bloodbending and how to bend water out of plants, she bent water out of thin air."

"Seriously?" Toph's voice sounded slightly impressed. "I didn't know waterbenders could do that."

"Yeah…" Katara pursed her lips. "I've been working on it for the last six months. I know I'm a more powerful bender than Hama, so I don't know why I'm struggling so much."

"How far have you gotten?"

Katara blushed, and she was thankful that Toph couldn't see her. "I've only been able to make my hand a little bit wet, and that was after intense meditation."

After giggling and getting slapped in the arm by Katara, Toph put her hand to her chin, thoughtful. "You know, maybe you're going about this wrong."

Katara frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, there's water all around you, right?" Toph continued, waving her hand above her head. "You know, in the air?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"So, maybe you're focusing too much."

Katara frowned, confused. "What? How can you focus too much?"

Toph sighed. "Think about it this way. How much do you have to think about seeing?"

Now Katara was completely confused. "Think about seeing...what?"

Toph sighed again, folding her arms across her chest. "How about this, Sweetness. I'll meet you in the courtyard after dinner tonight and we can practice. Sound like a plan?"

Still utterly bewildered, Katara agreed. She looked up as Suki broke away from the other group and sat down on the floor next to them, beaming.

"Soooo…" She smirked at Katara, as if she was waiting for something.

Katara threw her hands into the air. "You guys are so baffling!" Katara's voice elevated slightly, as if she was beginning a long rant. "You just assume that I understand what you-"

"Katara, relax…" Suki giggled, leaning forward. "I just want to know all the details about you and Aang. How are you doing?"

Katara stopped short, settling back into the couch. "Me and Aang? What about us?"

Toph snorted. "What about you? You two are dating, dumbass!"

"Oh, right!" Katara's face flushed. Had she really just forgotten that Aang was her boyfriend? "Well, um, nothing really interesting is happening. This is the first I've seen him in months, so it's not like we've had the chance to hang out."

Suki rolled her eyes. "Come on, Katara!" She begged, grabbing Katara's hand. "I want to know all the juicy stuff! What kind of romantic stuff do you guys do?"

Katara glanced at Aang, who appeared to be making Ty Lee and Sokka laugh by impersonating Appa. "...I don't know." She replied honestly. "Our relationship hasn't changed much since we started dating."

Toph made a noise of surprise. "Are you fucking kidding me? You guys have been dating for four years!"

Katara tensed, feeling a bit defensive. "Yeah, well, it's not like we've had a lot of time to invest in our relationship!" She snapped, crossing her arms. "We were travelling across the world for the first year after the war, and ever since then Aang has lived here with you and Zuko. I barely see him."

"Well…" Suki frowned. "What HAS changed in your relationship?"

Katara thought for a moment. "Well, we kiss each other more."

Toph fake gagged, which made Suki laugh. Katara elbowed her in the ribs, blushing slightly before continuing. "...and we, um...I don't know. I was going to say we hold hands, but we held hands before we were dating. That's just what friends do."

"Jeez, Katara - your love life sucks ass!" Toph chuckled, which earned her another elbow in the side. Suki looked at Katara, lost in thought.

"You know what?" Suki decided, nodding to herself. "You and Aang should go out on a date for dinner tongiht."

Katara was taken aback. "What?"

"You and Aang," Suki repeated. "You guys should go out into the city, have a nice dinner, talk for a bit. Have some time together."

Katara bit her lip. "That sounds great, Suki, but I really don't think I should leave while things are so intense here with-"

"Nonsense!" Suki interrupted, standing up and brushing off her Kyoshi garb. "My warriors and I will make sure everyone is safe."

"As long as you're back for bending practice, everything will be fine." Toph smirked. Her face fell suddenly, eyebrows narrowing. "Wait, what? All of the Kyoshi Warriors are here?"

Suki, remembering that Toph wasn't there for their conversation in the courtyard, explained, "While you were still...out, we were talking, and we thought that protecting Zuko was a big job for one person."

Toph stiffened. "I can do it." She snapped, folding her arms tightly across her chest.

"Of course you can, he's still alive, isn't he?" Suki giggled, and Toph relaxed, but still held an air of suspicion. "There are over two dozen Kyoshi Warriors, and we're more powerful than we've ever been. We've decided to become Zuko's personal guard."

Toph scowled, her face darkening. "That is MY job-"

"Toph, you need to focus on your metalbending." Katara interjected, her voice firm. "You are the founder of an entirely new subset of bending, and you need to refine it. You need to teach it. Zuko isn't getting rid of you, he's just being realistic." Katara put her hand on Toph's shoulder. "This way, Zuko can be guarded at all times by multiple people, and they can work in shifts so that they can sleep. And you can work on your dream of opening a metalbending academy!"

"I'll found an academy later!" Toph huffed, finally pushing Katara's hand away. "I'm not leaving Zuko until we figure out what's going on. Until I know he's safe, I'm staying in this palace." She sat still for a moment, her lips pressed into a thin line. "But this is good." She decided, relaxing back into her seat. "I do need to work on metalbending. And it was getting exhausting, having to be around Sparky all the time."

Suki clapped her hands with excitement. "Awesome! Now that we cleared all that up…" Suki winked at Katara and jutted her thumb behind her at their three friends, who were still laughing hysterically at Aang's animal impressions. "You should go ask him."

"On a date?" Katara asked anxiously.

"No, Katara." Toph replied, her voice laced with sarcasm. "About the meditation practices of the Air Nomads. I'm sure it's fucking fascinating -"

Suki slapped Toph in the shoulder, shooing Katara away. Heart thumping in her chest, Katara walked across the room to Aang, Sokka, and Ty Lee. Aang was now impersonating an ostrich horse, which was something Katara would gladly erase from her memory. They stopped as she approached, still giggling. "Hey, Katara." Sokka chuckled, pushing her shoulder slightly. "How goes it?"

"Great…" She replied absentmindedly, awkwardly fidgeting with her hands. "Um, hey, uh, Aang?"

He looked up at her, a bit flushed from doing so many animal impressions. "Yeah?"

"Do you want to, um…" Katara cleared her throat. "Do you want to eat dinner?"

Aang blinked, confused. "It's not even lunchtime yet."

"I know, I mean…" Katara shook her head, blushing furiously. "Um, do you want to eat dinner with me? Later, of course. Somewhere...else."

Sokka was staring at her in utter confusion, while Aang stood for a moment, stunned. "What do you mean?" Aang asked.

Katara avoided eye contact. "You know, um...do you want to eat dinner somewhere in the city...and then come back here afterwards...but during dinner we can talk-"

"Katara, just say you want to go on a date." Toph called from across the room. Ty Lee giggled next to her, and Katara somehow blushed even deeper.

Aang smiled widely. "Sure, Katara! I think we can block out an hour to go eat somewhere! I know some good places."

Katara looked up, slightly relieved, but she also had an uncomfortable feeling in her stomach. Why had she been so nervous to ask her own boyfriend on a date? She had been with him for four years and she couldn't even ask him out to dinner without having a nervous breakdown? Goodness, Suki was right. They needed to spend some time together. For La's sake, she had completely forgotten they were dating until Suki brought it up!

Sokka folded his arms. "Maybe I should come, too." He suggested, suspicion evident in his voice. His tone was clearly teasing, but it still annoyed Katara. "I'd love to have a nice dinner."

"No way, pretty boy." Suki spoke up from behind them, approaching the group. She laced her arms around his shoulders, hugging him from behind, and she kissed his cheek. "We are going to have our own date."

Sokka blushed, looking very content. He still looked at Katara. "Make good choices, Katara. Be good."

Katara folded her arms, glaring at her brother as he twisted to return Suki's kiss. "I think Aang and I will be responsible enough while eating dinner…" She replied dully. She felt the need to gag as Suki and Sokka began to make out. "...I think I'm the one who should be telling YOU to make good choices, Sokka."

Sokka broke away from Suki to glare at her. "I'm the oldest, and don't you forget it." He sniffed, as if this settled an argument.

Ty Lee giggled at them. "I have multiple identical sisters…" She whispered to Katara. "I've always wondered what it would be like to have a brother. Especially a big brother" Ty Lee sighed dreamily, and Katara couldn't help but chuckle. "Big brothers are so great!"

o0o0o

Zuko stood in the grey room, the metal walls and ceiling glowing blue. The fireproof chamber was dull - only a metal bed with fire-resistant blankets sat in the corner. Writhing on top of the sheets of this bed was his little sister, screaming as flames came out of her mouth.

At first the Fire Sages wanted to kill her. She was insane, after all - she was a liability. She was a danger to the throne. But Zuko couldn't bring himself to do it, and as the years passed, Azula had driven herself mad. All of the palace staff was terrified of her...no matter how much he offered to pay, no one would go into her room. After she had stopped feeding herself, it had become Zuko's job to take two breaks a day to feed her.

He should hate her. She had almost killed him - she had almost killed Aang, she had tried to kill Katara. She had shot lightning at their uncle. She had been nothing but a bully to him his entire life.

But his little sister was 18 now, and having to spoon-feed her like she was a toddler made him angry. Not angry at her, but at their father. He was furious.

Azula didn't talk anymore. The only time she used her voice was when she had meltdowns, like this one - fits of screaming that made the guards and servants shake in fear. It was Zuko's job to take care of Azula. It always was.

But Azula used to talk. For the first year after the Agni Kai, she talked constantly - she would rant to whoever would listen, and she would ramble to empty space as if someone were there. The guards outside of her room claimed that she often spoke to their mother. When Zuko would try to talk to her during this time, it was nothing but malice. She would spit at him, laugh at him, scorn him for his pathetic weaknesses and his lack of talent. It was only into the second year after the Agni Kai that Azula began to fade.

Through his life, Zuko had rarely seen Azula scared, because Azula was never frightened. Being afraid meant you were weak, and Azula was not weak. She couldn't be weak. Zuko was the weak one.

But when Azula was 16, locked up in her fireproof room, chained to her metal bed, driving herself mad...she became afraid. Zuko remembered the first time she apologized. He had walked into her room and she had scrambled away from him, crying out, "I'm sorry, Father, I'll try harder, I promise!"

Those words haunted Zuko. After two more visits with similar reactions from Azula, Zuko stopped wearing his topknot when he visited her. He was reminding her too much of Ozai, and it was driving her into hysterics. For an entire year, she seemed to be a broken record…"I'll do better. I promise. Please, let me do it again. I'll do it perfectly this time. I'm going to be perfect. I won't stop practicing until it's perfect. I'm going to bring you honor, I promise."

The third year was the quietest. There was never any yelling or screaming. Azula hardly ever threw fits. She rarely demanded anything. To the naked eye, she would almost appear to be completely sane.

But Azula was drunk on her own confusion. Zuko had turned 18 that year, and the assassination attempts had begun immediately. Zuko would go to visit Azula, and he would sit beside her bed silently as she asked him questions. He felt guilty that he never answered her. He still felt guilty. "Why do I have blue fire, ZuZu? Why didn't Mother ever feed the turtleducks with me? What do you think being a peasant is like, ZuZu? Do you think it's more fun than being royalty? Were you scared when Father burned you? Is it weak to find things beautiful? Why does my head hurt all the time? Where is Father?"

Zuko's heart hurt when he thought about those days where she would ramble to him, her voice hollow. Part of him knew that she was someone who had hurt him, had hurt people he loved...but he looked at Azula and saw his mother. And the longer Zuko would sit and listen to Azula wonder about her life, the more Zuko realized that she was just as hurt as he was.

Zuko felt guilty that he couldn't help her somehow, because now she was gone. She had slowly stopped speaking, and now she was just a shadow. A lifeless doll with blank eyes that never spoke. The only time Zuko ever heard her voice anymore was when she screamed, when she had meltdowns like the one he was witnessing right now. Blue flame burst out of her ears and mouth, and the bloodcurdling, cracking scream that echoed in the metal room shook Zuko. It made him feel weak in a way that he didn't understand, in a way that made him feel small and vulnerable. He didn't like it.

He parried her flame with his own, trying to reach her. "Azula, it's me!" He shouted over her shrieks. Her voice was cracking from lack of use, but she pushed it harder. Her arms were thrashing within the straightjacket, which was chained to the bed, and Zuko knew that if her arms were loose, she would be clawing at her hair and skin. Her feet were tied, as well. They had learned to do that early on.

Zuko ducked under another blast of fire. "Azula, it's me, Zuko!" He begged, his hair falling in his eyes. He still took out his topknot to avoid reminding her of Ozai. "Azula, it's me, your brother! It's ZuZu!"

Azula continued thrashing, her eyes bulging. When she paused to gasp for breath, Zuko launched forward, wrapping his arms around her and holding her to him. Fire poured from her mouth as she continued to scream, but after a few moments the flame stopped, and she wasn't moving so violently. She sat in the bed, the corners of the blankets smoking, before she collapsed.

Zuko just sat there. He sat on the edge of the bed and held her as heaving sobs wracked her body and she gasped for breath. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Azula wept, turning her face into Zuko's shoulder. He rested his chin on top of her head, swallowing the lump in his throat. He closed his eyes and held her tightly.

"You're safe, Azula." He whispered to her, still fighting his internal battle. A part of him was furious with himself for feeling so empathetic toward Azula, the person who had done so much, who deserved so little. "It's okay, Azula. I'm here. I promise." The other part of him, the part that seemed to be growing stronger, could hear the pain in Azula's screams.

Zuko saw the emptiness in her eyes and remembered when he was lost, before he had found his friends. It was painful to remember how lost he was, the anger he felt. It made him wonder what would have happened to him if he had never become friends with Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Suki. Would he have stayed lost until he drove himself over a cliff, like Azula? The older he got, the more he didn't blame her for some of the things she did. And there was a part of Zuko that hated himself for wanting to forgive her - the part of him that had a star-shaped scar on his chest.

Azula began to stop hyperventilating, and Zuko kept holding her close to him. "I'll bring you a sweet roll this afternoon with your meal," He whispered to her, rocking back and forth slightly. "I know they're your favorite."

She didn't respond, of course. But she continued to calm down, and Zuko finally released loosened his hold on her when he stopped feeling her move at all. He looked down at her face, and his heart sunk when he saw the familiar dead look in her eyes, her face expressionless. This was the way she always was now, but seeing her reduced to an echo of a human being still made him angry. He absentmindedly reached up and touched his scar.

What would he and Azula have been without Ozai?

Zuko settled her back into her bed, patting the sparks out of the blankets. He pulled the sheets up over her legs and was about to walk away, but he paused to wipe the tears off her cheeks. She didn't even blink.

He moved toward the metal door, opening it, and the guards on the other side were staring at him anxiously. He stood there for a moment, suddenly exhausted, and he looked back at his sister, her eyes staring blankly into the ceiling.

"I'm sorry, Azula." he whispered.

"What was that, my Lord?" One of the guards asked awkwardly, stepping forward. Zuko just shook his head, walking out of the room and shutting the door behind him.

"Nothing."


	4. One Day of Many Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko returns to his friends, refusing to speak about what had happened. Instead, they quickly debrief and go and address Zuko's Fire Council. Forced to recount the details of the Agni Kai, Katara struggles to hold herself together during the council before having to leave in panic. Suki finds her and after Katara is feeling better, they have some fun.  
> Aang and Katara go on a date that isn't really a date, and by the time they come back home, they're back to *just* being best friends.  
> Zuko can't sleep, so he heads out to the gardens to meditate by the fountain. When he gets there, he's surprised to see Katara practicing her waterbending. They have a heart to heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Don't forget to comment if you have a reaction, and please remember this chapter is *unrevised*! Thanks everyone, I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> tw // panic attacks, flashbacks, ptsd/trauma

Zuko returned to Toph's room looking like he had fought a losing battle.

Sokka, Katara, Ty Lee, and Suki sat on the plush chairs, watching Aang and Toph push a small ball of metal back and forth between them on the ground. They looked up as Zuko closed the door behind him, sighing heavily. His hair was no longer in its topknot and his clothes were singed. The group stared at him in shock.

"What happened?" Katara asked immediately, standing up. Her eyes were alight with concern. "You're paler than normal. What's going on? Are you okay? Your clothes are burned. Where did you go?"

Zuko waved her away as she began to step toward him. "I'm fine, Katara. We don't have time to talk about it. Right now we have to head to the Fire Council." Zuko glanced at Katara, grimacing. "I'm sorry, I was planning on helping you prepare beforehand, but-"

"I'm sure I'll be okay." Katara assured him, still preoccupied with his condition. "I've done scarier things."

Aang grabbed his staff, worry etched across his face. "Zuko, are you sure you're-"

"I'm okay, Aang, I promise." Zuko assured him, smiling in a very fake way. Suki and Katara exchanged glances, and Toph let out a 'Humph!' of skepticism. Zuko ignored her, his mind focused on the primary cause of all of his problems. "We really have to start heading to the Fire Council, guys. I'm serious."

"Alright, whatever that means, it sounds serious…" Suki stood up, stretching. "I'm going to go grab a few girls for a guard." She turned around, preparing to leave into the hallway.

"No, Suki, wait-"

Pausing, Suki looked behind her. "I'm sorry, Suki…" Zuko rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I can't employ your warriors as my guard yet. I have to make it official at the meeting first."

Suki folded her arms, eyebrows furrowing. The red face paint and black painted eyebrows made her look very dramatic. "Well, Ty Lee and I are still coming with you." She rested a hand on her fans, which sat waiting at her waist. "We don't need to be official."

Zuko folded his arms. "Suki, it's against Fire Nation law to bring guests into the Fire Council unless there's a reason for them to be there. I can't"

"Well, make up something, because Ty Lee and I are coming!" Suki snapped, her eyebrows narrowed. "I know, because we're your friends, we're all preoccupied with your safety because we care about you. And we should!" She added quickly, not wanting Zuko to get the wrong idea. "I'm just…" She sighed. "If something happened to you, Zuko, it could mean so much. Whoever ends up in charge could reoccupy the Earth Kingdom territories, or attack one of the Water Tribes."

Zuko glanced in bewilderment at Aang, who seemed equally confused. Katara laughed softly. "Look," she said, shifting her weight. "I think Suki's point is very valid."

Zuko's mouth fell open in indignation. "What point? We didn't even get to the point!"

"The point," Suki pulled her gloves back on, moving to stand by Katara. "Is that you are too valuable to lose. Not only because you're our friend, but because people rely on you now. Your citizens rely on you, yes. But citizens of other countries rely on you, too." Suki's eyes flashed determinedly, which was very intimidating when wearing her Kyoshi makeup. "Until it is official, Ty Lee and I will accompany you as friends."

Catching the fierceness in her gaze, Zuko knew that there was no point in arguing. "All right," he relented, much to Suki's relief. "Let's head to the Fire Council."

o0o0o

The Fire Sages were already in their seats when Zuko led his friends into the hall. Toph and Aang regularly attended the Fire Council, so they were used to protocol...but Zuko didn't usually have this many guests.

"Alright," He whispered as everyone gathered around him. "I'm going to take my place at the head table. Toph, Aang - you two can stand on my left. Katara and Sokka will stand on my right. Ty Lee and Suki can stand on the edge of either side." Zuko paused for a moment, thinking. "I know most of you haven't been to a Fire Council before, so let me warn you...since none of you are a part of this council, you're not supposed to speak without permission. You're also not supposed to sit down." Zuko rubbed his hands together anxiously. "Okay, I think that's it."

"Let's go!" Aang smiled confidently at the group, who exchanged determined looks. Zuko felt the guilt in his stomach alleviate for a moment as a twinge of pride fluttered through his chest. We're back together, Zuko thought, sitting down at his seat. My friends are together again, and they believe in me. They believe I can do it.

As everyone got settled in, Zuko looked around at his Fire Sages. They were all miserably old, with saggy wrinkles and dull, grey hair. There were nine of them, and though they were all distinctly different in personality, they were all equally aggravating.

Zuko nodded his head to Saiko, the head Fire Sage, and the meeting officially began. Saiko stood up, bowing slightly to Zuko, as was custom and expected.

"Fire Lord Zuko," He said in his distinctive low, flat voice. "I am relieved to see that your bodyguard has recovered from the...incident, the other night."

"Thank you, Saiko." Zuko replied calmly. It was a miracle Zuko had never lost his temper in any of these meetings, and he thanked Iroh for teaching him respect and patience. "I believe you are referring to the most recent assassination attempt?"

The Fire Sages shifted slightly, but Saiko continued, unfazed. "Yes, my Lord. We are all quite relieved that you and Lady Beifong are alright."

Toph scowled, throwing her arms up. The stone floor behind her erupted, rocks flying toward the high ceilings and falling back down, where she replaced them easily as if nothing had happened. Toph hadn't even bothered to turn and face the stone she was bending, and she huffed, folding her arms in contempt.

Saiko rolled his eyes. "My apologies. Master Beifong."

Toph nodded curtly. Zuko smiled to himself, but managed to keep his face impassive.

"I have a few orders of business to discuss before we address ambassador Katara." Zuko announced, sitting up straighter. Sokka and Katara looked at each other, surprised. They had never seen Zuko be so authoritative. "First and foremost," Zuko began, "Toph is hereby released from her duties as my official bodyguard, as I will now be employing the Kyoshi Warriors."

The Fire Sages looked up suddenly, suddenly seeming to notice Suki and Ty Lee. Both women rested their hands leisurely on their weapons, but did nothing. A scruffier Fire Sage - Nasu - spoke up aggressively. "But they aren't even Fire Nation!" He cried indignantly, much to the grumbling approval of the rest of the sages.

Zuko folded his hands in his lap. "This isn't a discussion."

The Fire Sages quieted, not used to Zuko being so demanding. He continued. "I have made my decision. The Kyoshi warriors are highly trained in the fighting styles of multiple nations, including our own. I'm sure all of you remember Lady Ty Lee?"

Zuko gestured over to the side, where Ty Lee stood next to Aang. She smiled at the Sages, who one by one began to recognize her, their eyes widening. The Fire Sage on the far right spoke. "Ty Lee? Of the Long Huo family?"

Zuko nodded. "Yes, Aiguo. She is second in command of the group, under Suki." He gestured to his other side, where Suki stood confidently next to Sokka.

The Fire Sage, Aiguo, stared in shock for a moment before speaking again, his nasally voice ringing through the hall. "But, she was one of our finest! Why would she leave us to go to a lowly Earth Kingdom?"

Zuko's stomach clenched in anger, and he felt Katara and Sokka stiffen beside him. Aang and Toph were much more practiced at staying calm during the Fire Council. He turned to look at Suki. "Would you like to answer that question yourself, as the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors?"

"Absolutely." Suki stepped forward slightly, into the light. The Fire Sages sat around a rectangular table, which was hollow in the middle, leaving space for a crackling hearth. The firelight fell across her face, lighting up her Kyoshi makeup and intimidating the Sages. Her eyes flashed dangerously. "Good afternoon, Fire Council," She bowed very slightly. "I am Suki of Kyoshi Island. I'm sure you all know the legacy and accomplishments of Avatar Kyoshi."

The Fire Sages grumbled in affirmation, and Suki continued. "So, then, you would know that the Kyoshi Warriors were created by the Avatar herself."

A few of the Sages frowned, as if they didn't believe this information. Suki ignored their speculation and continued, her face still calm. "Avatar Kyoshi learned fighting styles from different nations, and she taught her Kyoshi Warriors everything she knew." Suki's voice grew a slight edge. "We have continued her legacy ever since, learning as many non-bending fighting styles as we can. We are highly trained, disciplined, and loyal."

Zuko didn't miss the way Suki's voice hardened at the last word. He thought for a moment that perhaps he should cut her off, but he enjoyed watching the Fire Sages' discomfort, so he let her continue.

"Ty Lee has taught us much about Fire Nation hand-to-hand combat, as well as what she knew about knife throwing." Suki's voice, though calm, was sharp. "We are more than qualified to be the personal guard of Fire Lord Zuko. We are all highly skilled in acrobatics and multiple styles of hand-to-hand combat." Suki was looking around at the Fire Sages, meeting their eyes and causing them to shuffle awkwardly. "We are all masters in the art of fighting with katanas and fans, as is tradition, and has been since Avatar Kyoshi herself."

The head Fire Sage chuckled slowly, shaking his head. He seemed much less intimidated by Suki than the rest of the men. "That all sounds very impressive," Saiko mused, leaning forward slightly. His bronze eyes glinted. "But are we really supposed to believe that a group of non-benders can protect the Fire Lord?"

Before anyone had time to respond, Sokka stepped forward angrily. "That statement is only a display of ignorance!" he snapped, uncharacteristically serious. The Sages looked at him in surprise. "Everyone standing here, except Ty Lee, accompanied the Avatar during the war. That includes Suki and I, who are both non-benders." Sokka stood up straighter, his jaw set. "Suki and I were able to fight alongside our friends, who are benders, and defeat Ozai. Were you not listening? Suki has mastered the fighting styles of multiple countries, not to mention she's been trained to use the fighting techniques of Avatar Kyoshi herself!" Sokka glowered at the men, who were looking at each other, unsure of what to make of this.

One of the more mild mannered men, Lian, spoke up timidly. "We didn't intend to offend...Fire Nation fighting styles are considered sacred to our traditions, and it was difficult enough for us to accept an Earthbender as the Fire Lord's bodyguard."

"Well," Sokka's eyes narrowed and he rested his hand on his sword. "It will please you to know, then, that I am a master swordsman, trained by Master Piandao of the Fire Nation. I'm sure you've heard of him."

Lian's eyes widened in surprise, and the Fire Sages began muttering amongst themselves. "Master Piandao hasn't taken students in decades!"

"He came out of retirement to train me."

Saiko scoffed. "You expect us to believe that Master Piandao came out of retirement to train a Water Tribe peasant?"

Zuko's fists clenched painfully at the disrespect, but before he could scold the Sage, Sokka had spoken for himself. "Yes," He said proudly. "He did come out of retirement. And he did it for me, a simple Water Tribe peasant. And I have my sword to prove it."

The Fire Sages stared as Sokka unsheathed his sword, the dark blade reflecting the flames of the hearth eerily. One of the lesser Sages pointed. "What kind of metal is that?"

"It's metal from space." Sokka replied, barely keeping the pride out of his voice. He slipped the sword back into its sheath. The Sages stared in awe and confusion as the galactic blade disappeared. "Now, I've gotten off topic. The point is, Toph can't protect Zuko by herself, and she has other responsibilities. The Kyoshi Warriors are available, they are more than enough of them, and they're much more trained than any of your guards." Sokka folded his arms across his chest, looking over at Suki proudly. His girlfriend simply stared at him, her eyebrows raised. "I'm confident Suki could best any of your firebending guards easily. So, you might as well stop arguing, since it's obviously in the Fire Lord's best interest, and all your arguments are shitty." Sokka stepped back next to Katara, who was gaping at him in shock and embarrassment. Catching her eye, he turned back and mumbled, "I'm sorry for interrupting and everything."

An awkward silence hung in the air for a few moments before Zuko cleared his throat. "The Kyoshi Warriors will now be my personal guard." He looked into the eyes of his Sages, who nodded at him reluctantly. Saiko glowered. "The other things to take note of…" Zuko turned around to the scribe in the back of the room, who was writing furiously. He always felt sorry for the poor man, who had to keep up with every word they said. Nevermind that afterwards he had to alert the staff to the changes made at the meetings.

Zuko made a mental note to raise the scribe's pay as he turned back to face the Sages. "As my personal guard, all of the Kyoshi Warriors have full access to the palace and are to be treated with high level access. As the leaders of the Kyoshi Warriors, Ty Lee and Suki will be granted unlimited access to the palace and are to be treated with the highest level of access." A few of the Sages opened their mouths to argue, but Zuko cut them off, struggling to keep his voice calm. "There will be no more discussion on this matter."

The torches on the wall flickered, but the hearth made up most of the light in the room, and it flared for a moment, causing everyone to lean back. Zuko took a breath to steady himself. The hard part hadn't even started.

Zuko clenched his jaw, tipping his head a little higher. "I'm sure you're all aware of who is standing next to me, as you are the ones who required her presence. Master Katara, a Waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe, is here as ambassador from her nation to ours."

If Zuko hadn't known better, he would have sworn a few of the Sages rolled their eyes. Saiko sat forward, folding his hands in front of him. "Step forward, girl."

Zuko resisted the urge to lunge at the man, but he was frozen in shock, speechless in the face of Saiko's blatant disrespect. Before he could gather himself, Katara spoke for herself, her face darkening. "I don't know the customs of the Fire Nation," She stood firmly in place, her head held high. "But in the Water Tribes, we are considered adults once we are seventeen. I am eighteen, therefore, I am no longer a girl." Katara sniffed, glaring at Saiko in a way that most people didn't dare. "I am also a Waterbending Master of four years, daughter of a chief, and will be serving here as an ambassador. But I'm sure you meant no offense, of course."

She stepped forward, the blues of her clothes growing richer as she moved toward the fire. Her eyes always burned with passion, but as the hearth reflected in her bright blue eyes, even Saiko was a bit unsettled. "Of course I meant no offense, Master Katara." He nodded to her, grimacing slightly as if it was physically painful. Zuko struggled to keep a smile off of his face.

"Katara is joined by her older brother, Sokka." Zuko continued, gesturing to his side. Sokka waved awkwardly, and Zuko rolled his eyes slightly. "As you already know, he's an achieved non-bender, next-in-line as chief of the Southern Water Tribe, and has proven himself to be a surprisingly talented tactician."

Sokka scowled at Zuko, not missing Zuko's use of the word 'surprising.' Saiko had adopted a similar expression to Sokka and was also glaring at Zuko, who turned back to him, saying, "Would you like to address Master Katara now, Saiko?"

"If I may, my Lord." Saiko nodded, the words curling off his tongue as if they were bitter. Their attention of the entire room fixed on Katara, who didn't even blink. Zuko felt his heart begin to hammer faster as Saiko began. "Katara, daughter of Chief Hadoka of the Southern Water Tribe. You are here today being questioned by the Fire Council on account of your interference with an Agni Kai. Are you aware of the Agni Kai of which I am speaking of?"

"Yes."

Katara was startlingly calm. Zuko wished he could say the same, but his fists were clenched tightly under the table, and his entire body was tense. He should have worked harder to make a plan, to think of a better explanation - he didn't get a chance to prepare her for this, they were going to -"

"If you may," Saiko resumed, his voice dripping with a falsely sweet tone. "Please remind us of the date on which the Agni Kai was held, and who the two duelers were?"

Katara held her hands behind her back, her head still tilted high. "Sozin's comet," She answered coolly, meeting Saiko's gaze. "Azula and Zuko."

Saiko sat back in his chair, thinking. He seemed to make up his mind. "Recount the events as you remember them."

Katara paused to remember. She didn't think about that day very much. "I'm not sure where we were, but it was on the other side of the palace, with stands for people to sit on…"

"The arena." Zuko supplied quietly, and Katara nodded her thanks before continuing.

"Yes, the arena." She pressed her lips into a thin line. "Azula was about to be crowned Fire Lord, but Zuko said to stop and give up, handing him the throne. Azula challenged him to an Agni Kai, and Zuko accepted, telling me to wait in the stands and to not intervene." Katara's face began to break from it's stoic posture, looking more frightened. "They fought for quite some time. There was much more fire than normal due to the comet, and I could tell from the stands that Azula wasn't…" Katara trailed off, glancing back at Zuko. "She wasn't okay. She wasn't being nearly as precise as she usually was. I was worried - Zuko was willing to die in order to make sure Ozai or Azula didn't end up on the throne, and I couldn't let him sacrifice himself like that. I ran to the edge of the arena, and Zuko was telling Azula to shoot her lightning."

Saiko nodded slowly, seemingly enraptured by the story. "So, Fire Lord Zuko was…taunting Princess Azula?" He clarified, his eyebrows raising slightly.

Katara met his eyes unwaveringly. "Yes," She replied. She kept her tone pertinent and cool, but Zuko could see her hands clenched tightly behind her back. "From what I understand about bending lightning, you are supposed to be in a calm, unbothered state." Katara looked down for a moment before meeting their eyes once again. "Azula was beginning to lose herself, and Zuko hoped she wouldn't be able to lightning bend properly, perhaps backfiring on herself."

Zuko tried not to show any emotion, but he still stared at Katara, his heart thumping in shock. She had been there when he talked with Aang about lightning, and the group had some conversations about the differences in their bending over the years, but he had no idea she actually…listened. She was making him out to be much smarter than he was - in reality, Zuko had been feeling quite good about how the duel was going, and was just taunting Azula. It was one of the only times in his life he felt like he was finally, genuinely doing something better than his sister. Katara had thought this through in a few days much more thoroughly than he had in months! Blinking, Zuko pulled himself back into Katara's testimony. "Zuko can redirect lighting, so as Azula prepared to strike, he got into his stance. I was foolishly standing behind him, off to the side, and I was terrified." Katara glanced briefly back at Aang, their eyes meeting for barely a moment before she resumed. "Azula had previously hit Avatar Aang with her lightning, and if it weren't for a vial of water I had from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole, I wouldn't have been able to heal him. I was scared that I would lose Zuko, too."

"So," Saiko stretched slightly, completely uninterested in Katara's feelings. "You were standing behind Zuko? On the edge of the arena?"

Katara nodded stiffly. She was still standing to her fullest height, her head held high, and Zuko was very glad that he wasn't on the receiving end of her glare. "Yes. Azula prepared to shoot her lightning, and Zuko must have realized before I did that she was aiming for me instead of him." Katara closed her eyes, breathing for a moment. She could still see the flashes of blue behind her eyelids, as if she was still there. She remembered that he screamed 'No,' but she had been frozen, watching his body convulse on the ground.

"Master Katara."

The coldness of Saiko's voice shocked her back to reality. She HAD to get through this. "I apologize." Katara took a deep breath before pushing forward. "Zuko attempted to catch the lightning in midair, but he wasn't in the proper stance." She looked at Zuko frowning. "I don't know enough about bending lightning to say what happened."

Saiko looked at Zuko, who resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He wanted to smack the smug look off of his face. "Redirecting lightning requires the Chi to flow in one arm, into your core, and out the other arm." Zuko stood to demonstrate, remembering when his Uncle had taught him for the first time. The thought of Uncle Iroh calmed him, and he felt much more controlled as he sat back down. "I was able to channel the Chi into my core," Zuko continued calmly, trying not to think about the actual event. "But I was not able to release it properly, and it burned me from the inside out, releasing itself."

A few of the Sages shuddered, but Saiko seemed thoroughly unimpressed. He looked back at Katara, who was paler than usual, though her confidence hadn't wavered. "And you claim that he jumped in front of the lightning for you?"

"Yes!" Katara hissed, unable to keep the exasperation out of her voice. "Why else would he have jumped three meters TOWARD lightning?"

Toph chuckled, and Zuko had to swallow his own laugh. Miffed, his Head Fire Sage continued his questioning. "So that is when you proceeded to attack Princess Azula?"

Katara's eyes narrowed, flashing dangerously at the man. "I'm sorry, I was unaware I had given you the impression that I had attacked anyone thus far."

A few of the other Sages looked hesitantly back at Saiko, who sniffed. "Just continue your recollection."

Katara could feel her fingernails digging into her hands, which were sweaty, still clasped behind her back. "I ran forward to try and heal Zuko, but Azula shot lightning at me." Katara closed her eyes for a moment, trying to think of pretty things. The air temples she visited with Aang, fire lilies, the spirit oasis, the night sky...think of anything else but this. Anything but the Agni Kai. Her loyalty and commitment betrayed her emotions, pressing forward with the story. "Azula and I fought for a few minutes, but my main concern was to get to Zuko. I saw some chains on a wall, realized I was standing on a grate above an aqueduct, and managed to freeze both me and Azula in ice."

"I don't see how freezing yourself is so helpful!" another Sage scoffed. Katara resisted the urge to give him a demonstration and simply glared at him, continuing.

"I melted the ice around myself, chained Azula's hands to the grate, and let the ice melt back into the aqueduct." She finished coldly, still staring at the Sage that interrupted her. "Perhaps you should remember that, as a Waterbending Master, being frozen isn't as much of a hindrance to me."

Zuko felt the corners of his mouth twitch.

Saiko stood up, looking at Zuko triumphantly. "You expect us to believe," He began, causing Zuko's breath to catch. "That you were voluntarily struck by lightning? It seems to me that Azula had fairly beaten you in the Agni Kai, and Master Katara decided to take matters into her own hands by restraining the rightful Fire Lord and healing YOU from your wounds. Unless you two had planned it all along!"

Zuko didn't know what to say. This was the argument he had been fearing for the past month, and here he was, speechless. Stuck in place. Before Zuko even had a chance to form a response, someone else spoke for him.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!"

Everyone turned to look back at Katara, who had stepped even closer to the Fire Sage's table. She could feel the heat of the hearth now, but she barely noticed. She could only see the pathetic, wrinkly face of Saiko, staring back at her in annoyance. Katara vaguely realized she had spoken out of turn, but she was done holding herself together.

"Are you brainless?" She seethed. "Do you have no respect for the man you serve?"

Saiko inclined his head slightly, almost amused by her anger. "There was no disrespect intended, Master Katara. I was merely doing my job."

Katara's eyes bulged. "Doing your job?" Katara slammed her hand down on the hearth table, causing most of the Sages to jump. "Did you not bother to listen when the Fire Lord was explaining how he redirects lightning? You think he would taunt a Master Firebender like Azula to shoot lightning at him if he were not able to confidently redirect it? You think so lowly of his intelligence?"

For the first time during the Fire Council, Saiko seemed unable to respond. He simply stared at her, his mouth gaping slightly. Zuko didn't blame the Sages for being so surprised - there were rarely guests at Fire Councils, and when there were guests, they were overly polite. Though he knew that there would probably be a bit of a mess to clean up afterwards, Zuko was quite enjoying himself during this council.

Katara stared at the old men, her eyebrows furrowed, furious. "Are you all such utter fools to believe that we conducted an elaborate scheme that involved Zuko getting hit by lightning? It burned him from the inside out!" She slammed her fist on the table again, and they all jumped. "He almost died! I was almost too late! Zuko told me the rules of Agni Kai, and Zuko and I didn't break them! Azula attacked me first. If she hadn't tried to kill me, Zuko wouldn't have been burned so badly, because he knows how to redirect lightning! He wouldn't have been burned if she hadn't broken the rules first!" Katara stood up straight again, backing up a few steps. She was very hot, very sweaty, and was beginning to shake. A lump was forming in her throat, and she tried to swallow it.

"If you want to say that the Agni Kai was inconclusive, that's fine. That's fair. I understand that it didn't go as it was supposed to." Katara's voice hardened as she tried to keep it from shaking. "But don't you DARE think that you can strip Zuko of his throne because of this. He is the eldest son of Ozai, and he is fit to rule. You are all completely aware that Azula is in no state to be the head of this nation, and any conversation suggesting that she should be reinstated to the throne is openly idiotic. Handing the throne to someone in Azula's state would create a power vacuum, and this nation would devolve into madness! If I didn't know better, I would say that merely suggesting such a preposterous idea is treasonous, since it would be nothing but a disaster."

Katara could feel everyone's eyes on her, and vaguely realized that Zuko was just as shocked as his Fire Sages. Her heart thundering in her chest, Katara felt the tears behind her eyes begin to blur her vision, and she felt herself begin to breathe shallowly.

"That is all I will contribute." She mumbled, turning and walking quickly out the door. She felt everyone's eyes follow her, but she refused to look back at them as she reached the doors, throwing them open desperately and running out of the hall.

Zuko turned to his Fire Sages. What had just happened? "We will discuss this at our next meeting, which will be held two days from now." Saiko opened his mouth furiously, preparing to argue, but Zuko stood up. He glowered at the man. "Before we end this meeting, I'm announcing that both Sokka and Master Katara have unlimited access to the palace and the highest level of access. If I receive ANY inclination that my guests are being disrespected," Zuko looked pointedly at Saiko, who scowled back at him. "I will PERSONALLY address the matter. If you are still not convinced to let go of this idiotic agenda by the Fire Council in two days, I will gladly disrobe and show you the scar across my chest. I have nothing to hide." Zuko didn't even care that the flames in the room flared dangerously, responding to his rising emotions. "This meeting is over. Leave my sight."

o0o0o

Suki jogged down the hallway, going back to the list in her head. Setting up the first guard shift for Zuko? Check. Move my luggage into Sokka's room? Check…change into normal clothes? Check. She rounded the corner, entering the hallway leading into the courtyard. Now all Suki needed to do was find Katara.

None of the boys had been able to find her after the meeting - they had all tried checking in her room, the bathrooms, the courtyard benches...they couldn't find her. After letting them search for a while, Suki assigned Zuko his first shift of Kyoshi guards and told him, Aang, and Sokka that she would find Katara.

And she had a feeling she knew exactly where Katara was.

Suki slowed her jog into a walk as she entered the courtyard, the amount of trees and shrubbery blocking her view from the other side. She made her way past the benches, following the path as it wound past the bushes and flowers and around the trees. As she began to hear the trickling of water, she began walking faster. She was right! She had been certain there was a fountain! She rounded the corner and gasped softly when she saw her.

Katara was heaped on the edge of the fountain, shaking and sobbing, her shoulders heaving. Suki rushed forward, "Katara!" She knelt in front of her friend, who was gasping for air. "Katara, it's me, Suki! You're okay."

Katara looked up at her, her eyes wide with fear, and Suki could see that her mind was in a very different place. Suki simply sat in front of her, speaking in a calm voice as Katara clung to herself. "You're safe, Katara, I'm right here. You're just fine. You're in a safe place."

Katara continued to rock back and forth, hyperventilating. She whimpered in fear. I need to save him, I can heal him, but she won't let me, she's going to burn me just like she burned him with her lightning and then we'll both be dead. He's going to die and it's all my fault, I should have stayed outside the arena, but I didn't, and now he's going to die. I'm not good enough to beat Azula! She's even stronger than normal, it's Sozin's comet! She's about to shoot her lightning at me, I have to hide, I have to-

Suki's jaw clenched in concern as Katara began to rock even faster, her body somehow more tense than it had been before. "Katara," She said gently as Katara buried her face into her arms, which were wrapped around her knees. "I'm right here with you, and you're safe. It's me, Suki, your friend. I'm here."

The fire is inches away from my face - it's so hot, it's TOO hot. I can't hide behind this pillar forever. I have to save Zuko, he's going to die. He's going to die and it'll be my fault. I saved Aang, I can save Zuko, too, I know I can, I just have to -

Suki carefully rested her hand on Katara's shoulder, which caused her to stiffen slightly, but didn't seem to worsen her panic. "Katara, why don't we work on our breathing…" Suki suggested softly, her heart aching. "Let's do some deep breaths, okay?"

Azula is chained, now I have to save Zuko, I have to make sure he doesn't die, I have to - it smells like burning meat. I feel sick, I want to throw up, there's so much blood, it's sticky everywhere - he's laying on his back. Is he already dead? Am I too late? I roll him over desperately, and - I almost throw up. Aang's burn wasn't this bad. This one is deeper, it tore into his organs. How am I supposed to heal this? I had to try, I HAD to. I can't let him die without trying.

"Take deep breaths, Katara. You're in a safe place. I'm here."

I take the water and put it on the wound. I have to heal his organs first. It smells so bad, and my heart beats so fast - it's beating in my ears and in my throat. But I can't stop, I have to focus. He says something - HE'S ALIVE? I sob with relief, but I can't stop, I can't get distracted. I'm able to heal the organs as best as I can - those are going to be a much longer recovery - and begin healing the skin. Zuko looks up at me and smiles. He's going to be okay...we're okay. The buildings around us are burning, the ground is slick with blood, and there's a gaping hole in Zuko's chest, but I'm fixing it. He's looking up at me, he's talking to me...we just might be okay.

"You're safe, now. I'm here with you."

Katara pulled her head away from her knees, her vision spinning. She couldn't breathe, why couldn't she breathe? Why-

"Katara, you're safe." Someone swam into view, someone whose voice she recognized. Their eyebrows were furrowed in concern, and their hand was on Katara's shoulder. "It's me, Suki. Just focus on your breathing, okay? You're safe."

"...Suki?" Katara croaked. Her voice was barely a whisper, but it seemed to give her friend some relief.

"Here, Katara, why don't you try and sit normally." Suki stood up and slowly helped Katara stretch out her limbs. Her fingers, which had been grasping her sleeves, were unable to move, and Suki had to pry them off of her clothes. Her entire body seemed to be stuck, frozen in a tightly clenched ball.

After a few minutes of slowly stretching her legs and arms, Katara sat with her back to the fountain, still breathing quickly. Her face was numb, and her entire body was sweaty. Suki sat down next to her. "Just focus on your breathing, Katara." She assured, smiling softly. "I'm not in a rush."

It took Katara a while to get her breathing back to a normal pace, and even then, she was still hiccuping air. Her muscles had relaxed much more, and her entire body was now shaking slightly, completely exhausted. Katara turned to look at Suki. "What happened?"

Suki raised her eyebrows. "You're asking me?" Suki shook her head. "I just assumed you were panicking, so I did my best to help. I went through stuff like that after my parents were killed."

Katara felt her face with her hand. She was cold and sweaty, maybe a little puffy. "You know how it feels when your foot falls asleep?" Katara asked Suki, leaning her head back against the fountain and looking up at the cloudy sky. Suki nodded, and Katara swiveled her head to meet her eyes. "My entire face feels like that."

Despite her exhaustion and discomfort, Katara laughed, and Suki couldn't help but roll over, grinning. Her face grew more serious as she met Katara's eyes, laying on her stomach in the grass. "Do you want to talk about it?"

That was a very good question. Katara pursed her lips, her eyelids heavy. "I just…" She sighed, shaking her head. "Remembering that day brings me to a...bad place." Katara looked down at her trembling hands. "I thought it had gotten better since I had been in the North Pole, but ever since I've been back, things have been reminding me of the Agni Kai, and…"

When she struggled to continue, Suki put her hand on Katara's shoulder. "It's okay, you don't have to explain. We can just sit here if you want."

Katara smiled at her. "I really missed you, Suki."

"I missed you too." Suki grinned back at her, linking her arm through Katara's. They sat there for a few minutes, watching the mouse-birds flying overhead.

"Thank you." Katara whispered. Suki looked over at her.

"What?"

"I said thank you." Katara pulled her arm gently out of Suki's. "For taking the time to come find me, and not freaking out when I was…"

Suki folded her arms. "Katara, you really have low expectations for friends."

Before Katara could open her mouth to argue, Suki had stood up and begun rolling up her pant legs. "Come on, Waterbender." She grinned, her eyes twinkling. "Let's see if some splashing around won't help you out!"

Katara was hesitant at first, but Suki was right - it only took a quarter of an hour for Katara to feel back to herself again. She was still a bit tired, but she was much less shaky, and her muscles didn't feel so weak. She was splashing Suki without her bending, and Suki was splashing her back, and they bother were tumbling around the fountain in a mess of giggles. After a while, Suki straightened up, sopping wet. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm starting to think it's about time to get Toph…" Suki winked at Katara, who raised her eyebrows.

"What do you mean? It's not like we're going to get Toph to play in the water with us." Katara hopped out of the pool, bending the water off of herself and out of her clothes. Suki walked up to her, holding her arms out to the side for Katara to do the same to her. She was smirking.

"Katara," Suki said teasingly as the water drained out of her clothes. "Did you already forget?"

"Forget wha-" Katara's eyes widened. "I have a date with Aang!"

Suki laughed, throwing her arm around Katara. "Come on, you adorable idiot, you're supposed to meet him in a few hours! Let's get you ready!"

o0o0o

Katara sat across from Aang at the small wooden table, more nervous than she had felt earlier. Getting ready with Suki and Toph was fun - she had tried on multiple dresses for them, Toph criticising every dress just to make them laugh, Suki had put her hair in a beautiful braid. She had met Aang like they had planned, and they had walked to the restaurant, chatting about the city. He was taking her to a restaurant he had been to with Zuko - the Golden Grove. It wasn't too busy inside, but there was chatter, and Katara could smell the food as they walked in. She was relieved when they gave their orders and finally sat down, but the nervousness had hit her like a ton of bricks.

Aang looked at her carefully. His Air Nomad robes and arrow tattoos were drawing attention and whispers, but he was used to it. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah! Yeah, sorry…" Katara sat up straighter, taking a sip of water. "We just haven't done something like this since…"

The realization hung between them...we've never done something like this.

Aang cleared his throat awkwardly. "So, where were you today?"

"When?" Katara frowned.

"After the Fire Council." Aang's eyebrows narrowed slightly, worry evident across his face. "You left really suddenly. Zuko, Sokka and I looked around for a while but we couldn't find you."

"Oh."

Katara was grateful for the arrival of the waitress, who gave Aang his order of bread rolls and mixed vegetables, and gave Katara her plate full of thinly sliced meat, peas, and a few bread rolls of her own. Suddenly hungrier than she had felt before, Katara took a large bite of meat. It was delicious!

"Katara, did something happen?"

She looked back at Aang, who had taken a bite of vegetables and was still staring at her in concern. She sighed, relenting. "I had a bit of a…freakout." She admitted, picking up another strip of meat. She was MUCH hungrier than she had realized. "I think I had what Gran-Gran calls a panic attack. I thought I was…" She swallowed. "I thought I was back during the Agni Kai." She caught Aang's eye and quickly continued. "Suki found me and helped me through it, and I'm okay now, really." Katara smiled at him, as if it would prove she was fine. Aang still didn't look convinced, and Katara sighed. "I really don't want to talk about it any more today."

Aang dug a fork into his vegetables. "That's fine, Katara, as long as you're okay. I understand if you don't want to talk about it more." He chewed them quickly before swallowing. "But you know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

Katara looked at him in surprise. "Of course, Aang! But every time I talk too much about that night, I get really upset, and I'd rather just enjoy my time with you. Is that okay?"

Aang smiled, still munching his veggies. "Of course, Katara!" He gulped, taking a drink of water. They smiled at each other, eating in silence. The restaurant was growing busier, and the chatter around them was growing.

Aang poked at his food, his eyebrows furrowed, thinking. He spoke just as Katara took a large bite of her roll. "Should I be jealous of Zuko?"

Katara nearly choked. Jealous of Zuko? She swallowed quickly, barely chewing the delicious roll. "What do you mean?" Katara took a swig of her drink, hoping it would help wash down the giant piece of bread. "What would you be jealous of?"

"When we woke you up this morning, you and Zuko were sleeping in Toph's room." Aang's face fell, confused. "I'm your boyfriend, aren't I supposed to feel angry? Or jealous?"

Katara frowned, thinking. "...well, it's not like we were cuddling or anything."

"I know, but…" Aang took a small bite of his own roll, chewing while he thought. "I'm just confused, Katara." He put his hands in his lap. "After I defeated Ozai and we started dating, I thought that was everything I ever wanted. And I was really happy travelling around with you, even though we weren't really doing anything fun." Aang rubbed the back of his head, still searching for the right words. Katara had paused eating, as well, and was listening intently. "But when you went back to your tribe and I settled down here to help Zuko, I didn't feel like I had that connection anymore."

Katara cocked her head. "Because I was far away?"

"No…" Aang shook his head. This was harder to explain than he had thought. "...I missed you, Katara, and I missed you a lot. But I missed you because you're one of my best friends, and I wasn't used to tackling my problems without you there." Aang met her eyes guiltily. "We've been dating for the last four years, Katara. Why?"

Katara sat, dumbfounded. Why? "Because…" She began, struggling to find an answer. "Well, what would we break up about?" She finally answered, feeling strangely defensive.

Aang looked down at his hands. "But that's the problem, Katara, don't you see?" He looked back up at her with a pained expression. "I asked myself the same question, and I answered with what you just said. I love you, Katara, because you're one of my best friends - and you believed in me when no one else would. I would do anything for you, and I know you would do the same for me." He bit his lip, agitated. "But I was thinking about this while I was meditating today…and I don't think we should continue dating just because we have been. Yeah, we haven't had a big fight, and both of us have been very faithful. But if this relationship isn't going anywhere, isn't that a reason to let it go?"

Katara sat numbly. The chattering of the restaurant was somehow much more far away than it had been before.

If this relationship isn't going anywhere, isn't that a reason to let it go?

"I'm sorry, Katara, I didn't mean to hurt you-"

The panic in Aang's voice snapped Katara back to reality, and the restaurant was suddenly back to being full of laughter and joyful conversation. Aang was staring at her, clearly upset, and Katara pulled herself together.

"No, Aang, it's okay…" Katara closed her eyes. She would have never expected Aang to say any of this, and she had no idea how to respond. "You're right. Though I love you more than anything, it's not quite...in that way. We've both grown up a lot in the last few years, but in the end, we're still best friends."

Katara felt her own anxiety lessen as Aang smiled with relief. "I thought I should bring it up to you as soon as possible. I didn't want us to be in a romantic relationship that wasn't necessary and have it end up hurting our friendship."

"That's smart, Aang. I didn't think of that." Katara raised her eyebrows at him as he blushed sheepishly. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you got some pretty good advice."

Aang threw his head back, laughing. "See, THIS is why you're my best friend!" He looked at her a bit more seriously. "I got some advice, yes. I'm able to get into the spirit world easier now, and I've been talking more with my past lives."

"So, who did you ask about your relationship problems?" Katara couldn't help but crack a smile at the thought. "Roku?"

Aang's face twisted as if that was a ridiculous suggestion. "Of course not!" He scoffed, struggling not to smile. "I talked to Kyoshi. She has a lot of relationship experience."

Katara felt a weight being lifted off of her. Aang continued to say something about all of Kyoshi's romances over 230 years, but Katara was barely listening. She cut him off. "Aang?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you." Katara reached across the table, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. "Thank you for doing this. Deep down, I think I knew it, too, but I was avoiding it."

Aang smiled awkwardly, squeezing her hand back. "So, I guess we've officially broken up?"

Katara chuckled. "I guess so...but you're still my best friend, so we're just losing a label, right?"

Aang's face brightened with relief. "Labels, shmabels!"

When they finally left the restaurant, laughing and sharing stories, it was growing dark. The sunset glinted off the cobblestone streets. Shops were closing up and the stars were just beginning to peak out. She was telling Aang about when Sokka had tried to catch a fish with his boomerang last year, and Aang was laughing brightly.

Katara had missed this. She had missed her best friend. And while he enthusiastically explained to her some new Airbending tricks he had learned, Katara silently swore to herself that she would never let go of Aang's friendship again.

o0o0o

Zuko couldn't sleep. He had thought that with all of his friends here, Toph being okay, and the Kyoshi Warriors as his guard, he would feel relaxed enough to doze off at some point. But the Fire Lord was wide awake, and he was tired of staring into different corners of his bedroom.

He needed a walk.

There was a shift standing guard outside of his chambers. They would have to come with him. Zuko grimaced...Toph may have only been one person, but her seismic sense reached longer distances, and she had been able to be his bodyguard from farther away. Zuko had always appreciated having space.

He groaned, sitting up and pulling on his jacket. He was in simple clothes - he never slept in anything that could embarrass him - and therefore felt comfortable roaming the sleeping palace as he was. He opened one of the double doors, startling one of the four Kyoshi Warriors standing outside.

"I'm sorry," Zuko closed the door behind him quietly, the four women staring at him with wide eyes. He stood in the dim stone hallway, an awkward silence hanging over them, before he cleared his throat and asked, "What are your names? I'd like to know what to call you."

The girls looked at one another in surprise, but obliged. The women he had startled spoke first, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm Moyi, and this is She Neyo, Iya, and Nasoki." She pointed around at each of her friends in turn. "Do you…" Moyi faltered slightly. "Are you okay?"

Zuko resisted the urge to smile. Everyone in the Fire Nation was raised to know exactly how to act when addressing people of various status, and it had always made him uncomfortable. The Kyoshi Warriors were showing him respect in the way they knew how, and that meant more to him than the rigid rules he had grown up with. "I'm having trouble sleeping," He said softly, not wanting to wake anyone up. "I'd like to sit in the courtyard. Is it okay if you guys give me as much space as you can, while still doing your jobs?"

One of the other girls - Nasoki - nodded. "Of course, Lord Zuko."

The women moved to let him pass, and he made his way down the long hallway, his personal guard in tow. The palace was asleep except for the nightly watch, who stood in place, almost a part of the building. Zuko turned the corner and walked down the hallway that led to the courtyard. This damn hallway...he looked up at the ceiling. Had someone really waited up there to strike Toph? He shook his head. The wall to his left was only a few feet high before it split into pillars, casting shadows through the moonlight onto the opposite wall.

The courtyard was peaceful, and it was a safe place. Zuko entered the beautiful, open area, immediately feeling more at peace. The palace had official gardens, too...but they reminded him of his mother. This courtyard was nothing but beauty and newness. He passed by the benches where he had sat with his friends that morning, following the path through the greenery.

Zuko hadn't taken the time to meditate in months, and he was fairly positive it was one of the reasons he couldn't sleep. He had been religious about daily meditation for the first year or so of his rule, but as his life spun out of his control, he meditated less and less. He could practically hear his uncle in his ear - "The times in which it is hardest to meditate are the times when we should meditate the most."

Zuko thought that maybe he should go back to his old habits. His meditation spot was by the fountain in the center of the courtyard...it was far away from any torches or hearths on the palace walls. Around him were the other three elements - Earth, Air, and Water - and he would meditate, finding flame within him. Zuko had found, at the start of his rule, that rushing water helped calm his mind. If he meditated for a while, perhaps he'd be able to catch a few hours of sleep.

As Zuko approached the fountain, he saw someone already there, and he stopped short. His heart began to pound - no, it couldn't be an assassin. They were making no effort to hide. Zuko vaguely saw the girls in his guard spread out around him, centering him in a square-like formation. The person, who was in the fountain, didn't seem to have noticed them in the shadows, and continued to splash in the water. It seemed to be a girl, judging from the long, flowing hair and dress.

Zuko looked closer, trying to figure out who the mystery woman was, and his heart leapt with relief as he saw the water dancing through the air.

Katara.

He gestured quietly to his guard, who backed away further into the shadows. In the back of his mind, Zuko made a note to congratulate Suki on how well her warriors were trained in synchronization and stealth, but he was more focused on what in Agni's name he was supposed to do next.

He walked out of the darkness slowly, not wanting to interrupt. He couldn't tell if Katara was training, or dancing, or just enjoying herself. The waning moon was bright, and the water glinted as it glided around her hands. Her eyes were closed - not in concentration, they were just resting shut. She had a hint of a smile on her lips as the stream of water twirled around her. She pulled more water out of the fountain, lashing whips of them forward before pulling them back. She spun around, shooting a jet of water from behind her toward an unsuspecting tree - only to have it come speeding back to her obediently. Zuko completely forgot about meditating. He didn't even think to tell her that he was here. He simply watched as Katara danced in the fountain.

Katara played with the water until she got dizzy, giggling softly. She seemed to be dancing with the water, moving gracefully to a tune only she could here. Zuko stood, mesmerized by the beauty of it all. She gradually slowed down, eventually bringing herself to sit down in the fountain. Water poured across her shoulders from above, it came up to her chest, and she held her hands high. She began to think, but stopped herself. She merely felt the water cascading around her and listened to it.

I am a Waterbender, and my element is all around me.

Water was everywhere. Katara had been trying to find water inside the air, as if the air was a container, but she had been wrong...it was like little puddles of water drifting in the air, puddles smaller than anyone could imagine.

Katara felt numb, she felt weightless - she didn't try to distinguish between the different sources of water. She just listened...and the more she did, the less she could distinguish between where her body ended and where the water began. As a minute passed, she could no longer confidently say where the water ended and when the air began.

My element is all around me.

Katara curled her fingers slowly, feeling the water around her respond. She pulled more of it toward her, pulling the cool water down her wrist. She opened her eyes, reality suddenly crashing back to her, and she stared at her hand.

I am a Waterbender.

Her entire hand was gloved in water. Katara scrambled to her feet, almost slipping and falling in the fountain. At her sudden movement, a figure standing a few meters away also jumped, causing her to nearly fall again.

Katara peered at the person, gasping. "Zuko! How long have you been standing there?"

"What the fuck was that?" Zuko stepped further into the moonlight, pointing at her hand as if he had seen a ghost. "Did you just pull water - did that water just come from nowhere? Did you pull it out of the AIR?"

Katara's breath caught. "You saw it? You saw me do it - I actually DID it?" She jumped onto the grass, throwing the water from her hand back into the fountain and running toward Zuko. He stood there, dumbfounded, and she grabbed him by the shoulders. "Zuko, did I do it? Did I pull water out of the air?"

Zuko opened his mouth, standing in awe for a few seconds before shaking himself out of his stupor. "Y-yeah, I guess - if that's what you were trying to do. I mean, that's what it looked like to me-"

Before he could continue, Katara threw her arms around him, hugging him furiously. She was still soaking wet, but she wasn't really thinking about anything but she had DONE it! The thing that had held her at a standstill in her bending progress for nearly half a year, she had done it!

Zuko put his arms around her hesitantly, still completely confused and in awe. Katara pulled away from him suddenly, her hand over her mouth. "Oh, Zuko, I'm so sorry!" She stepped back slightly and bent the water out of his clothes before doing the same to her own. She took a moment to bend the water out of her hair, as well. She looked back at Zuko, an apologetic smile on her face. "I just got so excited, I've been trying to do that for almost seven months!"

Zuko sat down at the base of the fountain, astonished. "I didn't even know that was possible!"

Katara sat next to him, pride swelling in her chest. "I've only seen one person do it. Well, one person other than me." She smiled at the thought.

Zuko seemed to be wrapping his mind around the idea, nodding. He looked over at her sheepishly. "I'm sorry for scaring you - I didn't know you were here, and you seemed really into your waterbending, and I didn't want to interrupt."

Katara shook her head. "It's fine, Zuko. It's just been a long day."

"Tell me about it…" He grumbled, plucking at the grass beside him. He looked back up at her suddenly. "Hey, are you okay? You seemed really upset after the Fire Council."

Katara winced. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I just get really upset when I think too much of the Agni Kai. I get flashbacks and stuff."

"Oh, okay." Zuko could tell she didn't want to talk about it, and quite frankly, he didn't either, so he changed the subject. "Where were you this evening? I didn't see you after Aang got back from your date."

Katara chuckled, looking up at the clear sky. Zuko stared as the moon glowed in her eyes, like a reflection across water. "I promised Toph we'd train together." She explained, leaning her head back against the fountain. "She gave me a bunch of Earthbending advice that I didn't think would help - about concentrating less and feeling more. She told me to try and see with my bending, like she did. I thought she was being stupid but I tried anyways, and after a while we were just sparring. It was pretty fun." Katara absentmindedly ran her hands through her hair, which was usually in braids. "But I couldn't sleep, and I couldn't stop thinking about what Toph had said. So I thought I'd come back out here and try it."

Zuko nodded. She turned to meet his eyes, frowning slightly. His hair was down, and he was wearing the casual clothes and jacket he had worn the night before. He wasn't even wearing shoes. "Why are you out here?" Katara asked him, meeting his eyes through the shaggy hair that fell in his face.

He sighed deeply. "I couldn't sleep," He admitted, finally looking away from her and up at the stars. "Last night was one of the first nights I've slept in months, and the exhaustion is starting to take a toll on my mind. I realized that I haven't meditated in a long time, so I came out here to try."

Katara didn't know why this was so surprising to her. She had always imagined Zuko meditating surrounded by candles, or by a hearth. "You meditate by the fountain?"

Zuko closed his eyes. He missed his Uncle very much during times like this. "It's a place away from other sources of fire, and surrounded by the three other elements. When Uncle used to lead me through meditation, these were the sorts of spots he would bring me to. This has become my place of peace."

Katara turned away from him, and they both sat there, looking at the stars. "That makes sense." They lay there for a few moments, the silence heavy, but not uncomfortable. A question was still itching at Katara's conscience. "What happened earlier today, Zuko?" She asked casually, her eyes still fixed on Yue floating in the sky.

Caught off guard, Zuko frowned at the question. "What do you mean?"

"Earlier this morning?" Katara swiveled her head to look at him, raising her eyebrows. "When you ran off because there was a 'situation' upstairs and wouldn't let us come with you?"

"Oh."

Katara studied Zuko carefully as he ran his hands through his hair. Why was he avoiding eye contact? What was he hiding from her?

Zuko rubbed his neck, looking at the grass. "I...would rather not talk about it."

"Why?"

Zuko glanced at Katara, expecting to see frustration written across her face, but only saw concern. His heart beat a little faster. He didn't talk to people about Azula. He kept Aang, Toph, and the Fire Sages updated on her condition, and that was it. He didn't want to talk about Princess Azula.

But Katara didn't want to know because of political reasons, or because it was a safety concern. She wanted to know why he was acting strangely. She was worried about him. She wasn't asking about Princess Azula. In the end, she was ultimately asking about his sister, Azula.

Zuko grimaced. Did he dare tell her, and put more on her plate? Would she feel obligated to help him, when she was already sacrificing so much?

"Zuko, please..."

He was pulled away from his thoughts as Katara put a hand on his shoulder. Her big, blue eyes were shining with concern. "Please, tell me. I've been worried about it all day."

Zuko knew that she wouldn't let it go, so he decided to tell her. "I was with Azula."

"Azula?" Katara's eyes widened. "Is she okay? Aang told me…" she trailed off, glancing at Zuko awkwardly. "I'm sorry, I don't know if he was supposed to tell me. But Aang mentioned that she doesn't do anything anymore, that she just sits there. Except when she has meltdowns."

Zuko sat in shock. He wasn't surprised that Aang had told Katara the details he knew about Azula, and it didn't really bother him. But her response had caught him completely off guard.

"Azula? Is she okay?"

"Is she okay?"

Zuko was almost relieved that Aang had already told her the basics. The fundamental truth - my sister is nothing but an empty shell, a living corpse, a soulless body - was almost too much for him to say out loud. He took a shaky breath. "She had a meltdown this morning." He explained, looking down at his hands. They were beginning to tremble again.

"Zuko, I'm so sorry…"

He moved away from Katara slightly as she reached out to him again. "Please, Katara…" Zuko asked, almost pleading. "I don't want your pity."

She pulled away, folding her arms across her chest. "It's not pity, Zuko. It's empathy." The word sounded strange to his ears. "I can't imagine what it's like to be in that situation, but if I put myself in your shoes…" Katara trailed off, shaking her head. "Why didn't you let us come with you?"

Zuko looked back up at the sky, where the constellations were twinkling. His Uncle's favorite pattern, the Sea Dragon, hung almost directly above them. "It's not your problem."

He saw Katara fold her arms across out of the corner of his eye. "You shouldn't have to shoulder these things alone, Zuko." She replied stubbornly.

Agni, why did she have to CARE so much?

"I have no choice, Katara!" Zuko snapped, turning toward her suddenly. Katara's eyes widened, but she didn't move away from him. "No one in this palace is willing to go near her - all of my staff have been terrified of her since the day I was crowned, even though she sits there and does nothing the majority of the time now. I have to do everything!"

Katara frowned. "You can't order them to?"

"I'm trying…" Zuko rubbed his temples. "I'm trying to be less like my father. I told my staff that if they're not comfortable doing something, they could state so and there would be no penalty to their position. As long as they were willing to do other jobs, of course."

Katara nodded in understanding, but stopped as another realization dawned on her. "You've been taking care of Azula this entire time...by yourself?" She asked, shocked. "But, Aang has been here! And Toph!"

Zuko didn't meet her eyes, and Katara let out a huff of frustration. "Zuko, you can't DO this to yourself!" She slammed her hand on the ground between them, startling him. "We are here to help you, and you have the audacity to just IGNORE us? Do you not trust us? Do you think we don't care about you?"

Zuko's eyes widened. What? "Katara, that's not what I meant…" He struggled to find the right words. "I'm just…"

Katara huffed, crossing her arms again. "Is it true, that it's looked down upon to ask for help in the Fire Nation?"

Zuko looked over and was surprised to see that - despite the fierceness of her tone - her eyes were still filled with worry. He was also surprised at the abruptness of her question. "Where did you hear that?"

She shrugged. "Aang and Toph said it was something they noticed while they've been living here. I was wondering if that was part of the reason you were so damn stubborn."

Zuko thought for a moment. "Yes, I guess so. Needing help is a sign of weakness, because people feel like they should help you if they pity you."

Katara's nostrils flared. "Well, I mean no disrespect to your culture, but that's absolutely ridiculous." Before Zuko could object, she barreled on. "It's okay to need help, Zuko. Asking for help is hard to do, because it requires admitting you need help in the first place." She looked away from him, back up at the sky. "My father always told me that people who don't ask for help have big egos."

Zuko simply stared at her. Why did she have to care so damn much that those...feelings crept up? The ones that made him feel small and weak, the emotions that confused him, the ones he kept inside for a reason - why did she have to coax them out of him?

"Zuko." Katara pleaded, watching him sit and fight with himself. "Please, just let us help you. Talk to us. You don't have to talk to me, you can talk to Aang, or Toph, or Sokka. Just please, don't do this alone. I've only been here one day and I can see you struggling. I'm not going to let you do this by yourself if -"

"She tried to kill you."

Zuko felt ashamed for giving in, for letting his weakness come out. But once he opened the gates, he couldn't stop it, and all of the feelings he had been hiding from spilled out. "Azula tried to kill you. She almost killed Aang once, and she almost killed me. She had never shown me any empathy in my entire life, she was only a bully, a psychotic bully…" Zuko trailed off, looking back at the stars to avoid Katara. She sat silently, waiting. He wished he could keep everything bottled up, but despite himself, the words kept coming. "A few years ago she thought I was our father, and she got scared. She got scared, Katara. Azula NEVER gets scared. And then she APOLOGIZED." Zuko realized he was clenching his fists, but he didn't bother to try and stop himself. "Everyone knows my father hurt me, because it's written on my face. But watching Azula devolve into nothing…I've realized that my father hurt her just as much. We just can't see it."

Katara sat up slightly, leaning forward and putting a hand on his arm. "It's okay to forgive her, you know."

Zuko looked up at her sharply. How had she managed to pin down the thing that he had been wrestling with himself about for months? She had only been here for a day. "I've been...having a hard time with that." He admitted after a few moments. "Deciding whether I should forgive her or not. Part of me still hates her, but…"

"Zuko, if you want to forgive her, you should." Katara smiled gently. "Forgiveness isn't about whether or not people deserve it...in the end, we all make mistakes. And you're ultimately the only one who has any idea how to relate to Azula. None of the rest of us experienced what kind of father Ozai was."

Zuko looked down at his hands. Why did he always shake when he talked about Azula? "We were just kids," He said softly. "I wasn't there for the last three years, but I do know that father expected Azula to be perfect." Zuko closed his eyes tightly. "I just...I don't know what he could have done to make her break like that. She was fourteen. She was your age. She was strong, she was determined, she was smart, she was powerful-" Zuko met Katara's eyes. Damn, her eyes were so bright in the dark. "She was so much like you, Katara, if you took away all of the bad things. I wish I could have DONE something. If I had switched sides sooner, maybe she never would have-"

"Stop." Katara put her hands on his shoulders, turning him to face her. "Stop that right now. You CANNOT blame yourself for Azula's trauma, do you understand? You didn't cause any of it."

Zuko closed his eyes again. Logically, he knew she was right, but his heart was still heavy with guilt. It was hard to look at Katara and Sokka, at how close they were, how well they protected each other, and not feel ashamed that he had done nothing to stop his little sister from breaking apart.

Katara took his hands off his shoulders, sitting back against the fountain. "So, if you take care of her, do you feed her meals?" She asked, her voice more casual.

Grateful to change the subject away from his feelings, Zuko nodded. "Yes."

"What about…" Katara blushed slightly. "Her...hygienic needs?"

"There are a few serving women I pay very highly to assist her while I stand with my back turned." He explained.

Katara raised her eyebrows, smirking at him. "I thought you said no one would go in the room with her? Did you just LIE to me?"

He rolled his eyes, catching the humor in her voice. "Very funny, Katara. Yes, there are two women who take care of her as long as I am in the room. They bathe her, brush her teeth and hair, and change her..." He trailed off, his heart heart heavy. The end of the sentence echoed in his head...like a child.

Katara swatted at a bug that was buzzing around her face. "What have the doctors said about her condition?"

Zuko grimaced. "They did everything they could at the beginning, but once she started to fade away, they said there was nothing we could do. There's no medical treatment available or a therapy that would help her. All we can do is make her as comfortable as possible."

Katara sat and thought for a moment, as if Zuko had reminded her of something. He watched as she furrowed her brow, pursing her lips while she frowned intensely. After a minute or so, she turned to him, her eyes wide. "Maybe I can try and help her, Zuko." She said slowly.

Zuko's breath caught. What?

"You can...what?" He asked carefully. He searched for a sign that she was joking, but there was no humor in her voice, no twinkle in her eyes.

Katara met his gaze, and Zuko was once again struck with how powerful of a sight her eyes were. "I think…" She paused, hesitating for a moment before sitting up straighter, setting her jaw. Her eyes flashed with determination. "I think I can help Azula."

Zuko almost didn't want to believe it, he didn't want to have hope only to lose it again, but he couldn't help sitting up and looking at Katara in desperation. "What do you mean? How could you help her?"

She looked up at the moon as if it were telling her something. Zuko waited with baited breath as she looked at the glowing orb, which shined brightly down on them from the sky, and she finally responded.

"Your doctors may not have had a solution, but that doesn't mean you're out of options. You haven't had Azula treated by a healer." Katara looked back down at him, fire burning behind her bright blue eyes. Her voice was set with determination. "You haven't had Azula treated by me."

Zuko felt as if he was leaving his body, his senses numbing as he realized what Katara was suggesting. What she was offering to do. And she wasn't just offering - she WANTED to. She was staring at him with fierceness, because she wasn't asking him. She was telling him.

I am a Master Waterbender, and I'm going to heal Azula.


	5. The Rotaki Rebels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Fire Lord has an unexpected guest asking for immediate help with dangerous rebels in a Fire Nation district. The Fire Council refuses to allow Zuko any troops or soldiers to help his citizens, so the Gaang sets off to Rotaki to figure things out themselves.  
> Some new but familiar faces appear - some that may be expected, some that may shock you.  
> But nothing can prepare them for the chaos that ensues once they reach the district.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! As always, please don't hesitate to leave a comment or review if you have any reactions! As of right now, this chapter is *unrevised*! I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> tw // some graphic violence and blood

Katara showed up late to breakfast the next morning. The pavilion on the edge of the courtyard was open to the outside, and a cool breeze blew over the long wooden table. It was a beautiful gazebo-like room that was practically perfect for eating breakfast. She sat down between Suki and Aang, yawning.

"Morning, Katara!" Aang smiled at her brightly, pushing a basket of breakfast pastries in her direction. "You're a bit late, did you sleep okay?"

"I just didn't sleep much." She grabbed one of the pastries, staring at it with her tired eyes for a moment before beginning to eat it. Sokka scoffed from the other side of Suki, his mouth full. Katara ignored him. The truth was, she hadn't slept nearly at all - she had fallen asleep as the sun began to peak above the horizon. Katara had managed about an hour and a half of slumber before she made herself get up. She continued speaking after she swallowed. "How long have you guys been up?"

From the other side of the table, Toph burped. "Um, I dunno. Maybe an hour?"

Katara rubbed her eyes, looking around at her friends. They were all bunched at the very end of the table. Only Ty Lee sat apart from the group, eating a few seats away from everyone else. She and Suki were both in regular clothing instead of their Kyoshi uniforms. Something wasn't right, though...Katara frowned. "Where's Zuko?"

"He left a little before you arrived." Suki explained, putting her arm around Sokka. "He has a meeting about finances or something."

Katara took a large bite of her pastry, trying to mask her frustration. Was he avoiding her after last night? Admittedly, they didn't leave things on the best of terms...Zuko had insisted that Katara's healing abilities wouldn't help Azula, ignored her protests, and bid her goodnight, leaving quickly afterward. It pissed off Katara that he cut everything off like that. How did he know her healing wouldn't work if they hadn't even tried? Why was he so adamantly opposed to this? He had been confiding in her about Azula, what suddenly made him close off and run away?

"Katara?" Aang asked, poking her shoulder.

She sat up, realizing she had been staring off into space. "What?"

Her friends stared at her, concerned. She put down her pastry, sighing. "I'm sorry, I was just zoning out. I didn't sleep well last night."

"I don't think Zuko did, either." Sokka frowned, an unusual look of concern on his face. "He was up much earlier than everyone else, and while he was eating breakfast, he looked like he was sick." He shook his head, taking a drink of water.

"He's not sick, he's just exhausted." Aang corrected him, taking a jelly tart from a basket on the table. "He always looks like that when he's tired."

Suki nodded, her eyebrows furrowing. "The overnight shift said he actually left his room in the middle of the night and spent some time in the courtyard. I wonder if he's okay."

The rest of the group mumbled in agreement, and they fell into a concerned silence. Katara looked at Suki out of the corner of her eyes, but she was fixing Sokka's hair and didn't notice the glance. Katara looked back down at the pastry, her questions mounting. Zuko hadn't told them about last night? Zuko's guard saw when Katara had left and returned back to her chambers...did they not include that in their report to Suki?

"So, Katara…" Aang began. Katara pushed her scattered thoughts aside and turned to face him. "Toph thinks I'll never be able to metalbend in practical ways for battle. Isn't that crazy?" He took a bite of his jelly tart. "I mean," He continued, his mouth full. "I'm only sixteen! I have a lot to learn, still!"

Katara grabbed a jelly tart of her own, frowning. "Well, if it takes more concentration for you, then maybe she's right. Fighting moves too fast for some techniques." Katara remembered something and gasped, turning to face the Earthbender in front of her. "Toph, you're never going to believe this! I kept practicing for a while after we trained yesterday, and your advice actually worked!" Toph scoffed. "Well, of course it did." She waved at Katara, as if this was nothing new. "You should never expect anything less than amazing results from me."

Before Katara could think of a snarky retort, Sokka butted in. "What did she help you do?" He smirked, smearing butter on a breakfast roll. "Not trip over your own feet?"

He and Toph laughed as Katara glared at him, folding her arms. "You're lucky Suki is between us," Katara warned. "Or I would have smacked you!"

Toph's laughter died down slightly. "Oh, man," She wheezed, wiping a tear from her eye. "Has she actually done that before?"

"Yes, she has!" Sokka answered, and they both fell into another fit of hysterical giggles. This time, Aang and Suki both chuckled, as well.

"Hey!" Katara but her hands on her hips defensively. "That was only one time! And that's not the point!" She pressed forward, eager to change the topic back to her exciting news. "Toph - I did it!"

Toph stopped laughing for a moment before sitting forward in her seat, a smile splitting across her face. "Really?" She asked brightly.

Katara nodded, which was silly, since Toph couldn't see. "Really!" She giggled in excitement, clapping her hands with joy. "I couldn't believe it, but I actually did it!"

"Fuck, Katara, that's some useful shit, right there!" Toph leaned back in her seat, grinning. "You've got to practice that so you don't have to carry that ugly-ass flask around everywhere!"

"I'm hoping I can get faster at it…" Katara agreed, taking a bite of her jelly tart and swallowing quickly before continuing. "It took me a few minutes to actually do it, but it's better than nothing." Katara thought a moment before adding, "Thanks for the advice, I guess it wasn't all bad."

Clearly noting the teasing tone of Katara's voice, Toph smirked. "You're more than welcome, Sugar Queen. I have a natural talent for helping people tap into their badassery."

"Okay, hold on," Sokka held his hand up while the other hand rubbed his temple. "What the hell are you two talking about?"

Katara sat up straighter, holding her head up higher. "I successfully bent water out of thin air yesterday." She revealed smugly, pride swelling in her chest. Aang gasped beside her.

"Seriously?" He finished chewing the last of his pastry and swallowed "I didn't even know it was possible!"

Katara shook her head. "The only reason I know it's possible is because Hama showed me once. If she can do it, I know I can do it."

Suki chuckled to herself. "Katara, you never cease to amaze me."

"I'm so sorry to interrupt, but can you pass the breakfast rolls, please?"

Everyone looked at Ty Lee, who was speaking much more timidly that usual. She was multiple seats away from Sokka, the closest person, and she was poking at her food lethargically. Suki leaned back in her chair, frowning. "Ty Lee, why are you sitting so far away?"

The acrobat looked up, eyes wide. "Oh, nothing!" She smiled tightly, looking back down at her food. Everyone else exchanged glances, and Toph let out a huff of incredulity. Sensing their disbelief, Ty Lee sighed in resignation. "I'm fine, really."

"I can tell you're lying, so it's pointless to try." Toph sniffed, leaning back to put one of her feet up on the chair next to her. "Spit it out."

Ty Lee continued to stare down at her food as she prodded at it. "It's the ninth anniversary of my mother's murder, and we still don't know who killed her."

A weight fell over the group. Even Toph's typical unbothered demeanor dropped. No one had expected her to just, well say it so bluntly. Suki pulled her arm from around Sokka's shoulders, covering her mouth in shock. "Ty Lee, I'm so sorry, I totally forgot..." She let her hands fall into her lap. "You and Nasoki both have the next few days off. Why don't you go visit your family?"

"No…" Ty Lee shook her head, screwing up her face. "We just saw them at the wedding, and that was hard enough."

Aang was peering down the table at her in confusion. "Why don't you want to be with your family? Don't you want to be with them during a time like this?" Katara turned to him, her eyes wide, and Aang quickly stuttered, "I mean - I'm sorry, that was insensitive, don't mind me."

Ty Lee smiled back at him, though her eyes were still uncharacteristically dark. "No, it's okay, Aang." She assured him, turning in her seat to face them. "My family has become pretty volatile since my mother died. I was surprised Tuli invited us all to her wedding - I haven't spoken to her in years, and neither had most of my sisters. Only Uri speaks to father anymore." Ty Lee nodded to herself, as if remembering something. "Then there's me and Nasoki, of course. We stayed close, since we're the two youngest sisters."

Aang nodded at Ty Lee, listening intently. Toph leaned forward. "Nasoki?" She asked, clearly curious. "I thought I heard one of your girls had that name, Suki?"

"Yes, Ty Lee's younger sister, Nasoki, is also a Kyoshi Warrior!" Suki smiled fondly, her eyes lighting up at the mention of her group. "She was actually Zuko's guard shift last night."

Katara immediately thought back to the night before. When Zuko had left the courtyard, Katara had been prepared to go after him, but she was too startled by the four women slinking out of the shadows and following him back into the hallway. They had been concealed in the bushes the whole time, and Katara hadn't had any idea.

Suki looked at Ty Lee, her eyes worried. "You two have the next four days off." Aang and Katara both nodded in agreement at this decision, but Ty Lee seemed to grow uncomfortable.

"No, Suki, that's not necessary-" Ty Lee shook her head, but Suki cut her off.

"No, Ty Lee, I insist." Suki folded her arms. Sokka, Toph, Katara, and Aang looked between the two women. "Why don't you go tell Nasoki?"

"Tell me what?"

Everyone turned around, where a girl who looked exactly like Ty Lee stood, eyes wide with confusion. The only way you could tell them apart was that Ty Lee was in normal clothes, while this newcomer was in full Kyoshi uniform, makeup and all. Sokka, Katara, and Aang stared at her in shock. "Everyone, this is Nasoki!" Suki got up quickly, moving to stand by her. She looked empathetically at the girl. "How are you doing? I'm so sorry, I was just telling Ty Lee that you two have the next four days off."

"Oh!" Nasoki's eyes, if possible, got even wider. "Suki, you don't have to do that-"

"I insist." Suki walked Nasoki over to the table, where they sat down. "Both of you, please, feel free to leave the palace and spend some time in the city if you'd like. If you want to just stay here in the palace, that's clearly fine, as well!"

Nasoki, looking a bit overwhelmed, stood back up, much to Suki's frustration. "That sounds amazing, Suki, but right now-"

"Nasoki, I insist!"

"Please, Suki, listen!" Nasoki pleaded. The rest of the table was still watching the events, silent. "That can start after this, but Zuko sent me to come get all of you."

Everyone seemed to stiffen. "All of us? Why?" Aang asked, his voice tense.

Nasoki nodded, launching into her explanation. "Well, Khalin was feeling sick this morning, so I offered to fill in for her shift, and Zuko didn't realize until this morning that I was Ty Lee's sister. We were in the financial meeting, which was pretty boring, when this guy came in and said that there was an urgent guest requiring a presence with the Fire Lord, so Zuko asked me to come get everyone in the pavilion. I'm supposed to bring you back to his office to meet with whoever it is."

Toph and Aang both stood quickly, and Katara looked up at them. "What's going on?"

"Zuko never has unscheduled meetings." Toph turned toward the rest of the palace, uncharacteristically tense. "And he DEFINITELY never meets with unscheduled guests - this has to be extremely important."

Katara grabbed another pastry. "Is it really that important? I mean, we should definitely go, but I'm sure there's nothing to freak out about. I mean, we don't even know who it is yet, much less what they need to talk to Zuko about."

Aang shook his head, grabbing his staff. "Zuko never asks us to come to his daily meetings. And I'm telling you that he never has surprise visits - everyone who comes is a scheduled guest. Not to mention that he's asking for all of us to come. We really should go..."

Katara shrugged, standing up to leave. Everyone hurried out of the pavilion, Aang and Toph in the lead, and Katara barely had time to stuff the rest of the pastry in her mouth before rushing after her friends.

o0o0o

Zuko stood behind his desk anxiously, waiting for the fourth warrior in his guard - Nasoki - to return with his friends. The list of important, unexpected guests spun through his mind. All of my friends are here with me. Could it be another world leader? No, they would tell me, wouldn't they? Perhaps Uncle is back from his secret trip with the White Lotus? Maybe it's a -

The double doors to his office swung open, causing Zuko to jump slightly. Agni, he needed sleep. Nasoki was in the front next to Aang and Toph, whose faces were both scrunched with worry. Aang's eyes darted around the room as everyone entered, but the guest hadn't arrived yet - Zuko had just sent for a servant to bring them. Ty Lee, Sokka Suki, and Katara followed behind Toph, who leaned against the wall right inside the door. Zuko smiled slightly at her habit. Though she wasn't his bodyguard anymore, she had been for over a year, and it had been commonplace for her to stand next to entryways in order to be more aware of movements on the other side.

Zuko's office was large - there was a reasonably sized table for meetings, he had a large desk for his work, and there were multiple bookshelves piled with both ancient texts and the newest publications. The windows in the office overlooked the gardens, which gave Zuko mixed feelings. He didn't go to the gardens often - he preferred the fountain and the plant life in the courtyard. The gardens were beautiful, of course - Zuko just had too many memories there. It pained him to be reminded of his mother.

Zuko continued to scan the room until he locked eyes with Katara, and his tumbling mind came to a screeching halt. She was glaring at him, chewing something. There was cream on the top of her lip. A pastry? She must have come straight from breakfast. Once she swallowed she was able to scowl, which only made her more intimidating.

Zuko had been dreading this.

Though everyone was talking amongst themselves while they waited - Aang with Nasoki, Sokka chatted with Toph, and Suki with one of her warriors - Zuko still felt like Katara's voice was glaringly loud. "What happened last night?" She hissed at him, eyes flashing. Her hair was much more frizzy than normal, like she had only gotten up recently.

"Nothing." Zuko avoided her gaze, "How did you sleep?"

"I didn't sleep, Zuko!" She snapped, her voice still a harsh whisper. "And by the looks of it, you didn't sleep, either, so tell me - why did you leave in such a hurry last night? You know I'm right!"

Her voice was beginning to rise, and Zuko's heart began to beat even faster. "It was nothing Katara. It's fine, please, just-"

"Bullshit!" She snapped. Everyone turned to look at them, but Katara didn't seem to notice. "You can't just tell me no and then leave! You CAN'T!" Katara stomped her foot, and the cup of water behind Zuko sitting on his desk sloshed. "I KNOW I can do it, and you won't even let me try? And for what - you won't even talk to me about it! You just ran away like a coward!"

"I did not!" Zuko retorted despite himself. He took a breath to center his mind, painfully aware of everyone's attention being on them. "Katara, please, not now? Can we talk about this later?"

Katara stepped back slightly, realizing the attention she had brought on them, and blushed. "Yeah, I'm sorry. We can talk later."

Sokka, Aang, and Suki looked back and forth between the two of them, completely lost. Toph just smirked. "Good decision, Sugar Queen, 'cause our guest is here." Sure enough, they could hear footsteps approaching the door. They all moved to stand next to chairs at the table, looking silently among each other. The mystery guest got close enough for Toph to realize who they were, and she let out a soft gasp. "Fuck, this is going to be awkward."

Sokka frowned, glancing at the door. "What do you mean, it's -"

The doors swung open, and a few palace guards held them as a figure dressed head to toe in red stepped smoothly in the room. The guards left quickly, closing the doors and leaving the office in a tense, stunned silence.

Zuko felt like his eyes were betraying him, but when he blinked, she was still there. "Mai?" He asked in disbelief, scared to move forward. She hadn't changed since he had last seen her. "What are - um, how are you doing?"

Mai raised her eyebrows at him. "Well, I'm obviously not doing well, since I'm here." She turned to the table, where the rest of the group sat staring, mouths gaping. "I see you have the whole gang back together. How nice."

Before Zuko could think of a response, a pink blur rushed past him. Ty Lee threw her arms around Mai, squealing, "Mai! I'm so happy to see you! How are you doing? Oh, I've missed you!"

"Yeah, okay." Mai pushed her away, more gently than Zuko was expecting. She glanced back at Zuko, meeting his eyes for a moment before looking at Ty Lee. "This isn't really a good time for hanging out...but maybe we can try and schedule something, okay?"

Zuko couldn't believe what he was hearing. Schedule something? Mai wanted to…hang out with someone? "Are you okay?" He asked without thinking, clamping his mouth shut as soon as the sentence left him. Ty Lee sat back down, and Mai turned to face him again, her face unreadable. Not that Mai's face was ever readable, anyway.

"Let's start over, shall we?" She said coolly after a few moments of silence, and Zuko nodded, feeling uncomfortably sweaty. "It's good to see you after all this time, Zuko."

"Yes," Zuko reached out and grasped her outstretched hand, shaking it in an awkwardly formal fashion. "It's good to see you, as well. I haven't seen you since…" He trailed off, wanting to kick himself. Mai's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as the end of his sentence floated in the space between them…since you walked out on me.

Zuko finally pulled his hand away from the handshake, which had gone on too long, and they resumed standing there in tense silence. There was a cough from behind Mai, and everyone's attention shifted to Toph. "Are you alright?" Katara asked hesitantly, breaking the thick silence.

Toph waved her off. "Yeah, I just choked on the awkwardness floating around in here."

Zuko clenched his hands, feeling his cheeks burn. "Mai, why don't you come sit down? He said quickly, moving to his own chair at the head of the table. "You too, Toph." He added, his voice a bit harsher. Toph didn't bother to hide her smirk as she and Mai sat in the empty seats.

The stillness of the room couldn't be more awkward. Zuko was relieved when someone broke the silence, but the second he realized that it was Sokka (who looked incredibly confused), he felt a jolt of panic run through him. "Wait, hold on a minute…" Sokka leaned on the table, pointing at Mai and Zuko. They sat at opposite ends of the table, so Sokka was swivling his head to look at the two of them. "I thought you two were dating?"

Aang winced, and Toph didn't bother to hide her snort of laughter. Katara elbowed her brother in the ribs, shaking her head. Ty Lee, who was sitting next to Mai, looked over at him with wide eyes. Zuko made the mistake of looking at Suki, who met his gaze with raised eyebrows. Zuko figured he must look like the blood drained out of his body.

"I thought you and Zuko were close friends?" Mai replied after a moment.

Sokka folded his arms. "I am!"

Mai's eyes drilled into Zuko, who winced. "Did you not bother to tell people that our relationship was done? How many people think we are still together?"

"I…" Struggling to find the right words, Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. " I've been a bit preoccupied, Mai, and I didn't really want to talk about it."

"Wait…" Sokka's eyes narrowed for a moment before he gasped pointing at Zuko. "You two broke up? And you didn't TELL ME?"

"I'm glad you've caught up, boomerang boy." Mai snapped as she leaned forward in her chair, her emotionless mask breaking for a moment. She sat back again, her face resuming its typical impassive state. "This isn't why I'm here. You can catch up later. Right now, I need help."

Zuko frowned in concern. "What's going on, Mai?"

She paused for a second, looking down at the table in a moment of uncharacteristic hesitation. But she pulled herself back up and met Zuko's eyes. "Villages along the edges of my territory are being attacked by a group of rebels. I don't know what their goal is, and they haven't purposefully killed anyone yet, but they've burned down four towns so far. They've also set most of their crops up in flames, as well as killing their livestock."

Zuko sat still for a moment, dumbstruck. "Why did I not know about this sooner?" He began angrily, sounding a bit more accusatory than he had attended. "I should have been notified at the first attack!"  
Mai nodded once. "I agree." She said simply, pulling a few scrolls of paper out of her robes and handing them down the table. They were passed down to Zuko, who opened them all quickly. "We've been in the middle of a major transition, so my hands were tied until the paperwork came back from the other governors. I came as soon as I was able."

"Why couldn't you send a letter?" Aang asked, thoroughly confused. "That way you could have told Zuko before that paperwork came back."

Mai grimaced. "That's part of the problem. This group is advanced - they've infiltrated administrative roles in my district and cut off communications. Letters are piling up in a few of the towns that they're in control of." She looked at Zuko, and for once he could actually see a glint of emotion in her eyes. "I have no idea the extent to which they've taken the villages, but as far as I know, they haven't reached Bhang Chi. But they're close."

"Mai…" Zuko rolled up the last scroll slowly, trying to process everything. "How long has your father been planning on stepping down?"

Everyone looked sharply at Mai, who pursed her lips. "He wasn't."

No one talked for a few moments, and Katara broke the silence, leaning forward. "Okay, I know that I'm not the only one who's lost." She said slowly, looking from Zuko to Mai. "Do you mind starting from the beginning, Mai?"

"Fine." Mai sat back in her chair, folding her arms. "This has been going on for months, that's why it's gotten so bad. But my father refused to inform the capitol."

Zuko felt his hands clench on the table top but said nothing, letting Mai continue. "He's sick." She said wearily, picking at her fingernails. "He's not completely present mentally anymore. I was able to confirm that with multiple doctors. I knew that I could request that he be immediately impeached, but we already knew at this point that our communications were impaired. So, I snuck out of my own district and went to the other eight districts myself. I got all the signatures I need. I've travelled here to finalize everything."

Ty Lee gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "You're the governor of the Rotaki district now?"

"I will be," Mai nodded, leveling her gaze to stare at Zuko. "Assuming the Fire Lord approves me for the position."

Zuko shook his head in disbelief. "Of course I'm going to approve of you, Mai. I just wasn't expecting you to be governor so soon...and I wasn't expecting you to show up in person."

Mai looked out the window into the gardens, staring at an old fountain. "What choice did I have? I couldn't send any mail, and even if I didn't need you to approve me to be governor, you need to know about what's going on." Mai shook her head, closing her eyes. "I traveled here alone, and the things I heard and saw on my way through Rotaki weren't good. There were rumors of people going missing in the streets. My father isn't in his right mind, and if I didn't come now, I'm not sure I'd have a chance. I'm not sure my district has a chance."

"They do have a chance." Aang sat up straight, setting his jaw. "We won't just leave you all to the mercy of these rebels."

Suki leaned forward, eyebrows furrowing as she looked at Mai. "So, you don't even know where these rebels came from? And you don't know what they want?"

"Well, by the looks of it, they want to take over the district." Mai shrugged. "But that's the extent of what I know."

Zuko pushed his chair away from the table suddenly, standing up and walking over to the door. Everyone watched him, puzzled, as he opened the door and leaned out, seeming to speak for a moment before closing it.

"What was that about?" Sokka asked, clearly confused. Mai raised her eyebrows.

Zuko stood above them, "I sent a servant to gather the Fire Sages for an emergency Council." He stated, his tone set with determination. "I want to deal with all of this as quickly as possible. Let's go."

o0o0o

"Fire Lord…"

Katara glared at Saiko as the old man began the council, standing stiffly next to Zuko's seat. Just seeing his face again made her blood boil. She forced herself to listen to Zuko's voice, to hear what he was saying.

"I'm here to formalize Lady Mai's transition to Governor of the Rotaki District." He began, his voice taking on that authoritative tone that Katara wasn't used to. "All of the governors have filed the proper paperwork to impeach her predecessor due to health related concerns, and this will go into effect immediately."

Saiko narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. Zuko continued. "I'm also here to request full authorization to send troops to the Rotaki District. A band of rebels is attempting to take full control of the area, and they have already burned down multiple villages. Communication has been cut off, and they've begun to infiltrate community leadership. They've also attacked the food sources of various villages. We need to stop this before it escalates even further."

The expressions on the Sage's faces were unreadable, but they certainly weren't surprised. Katara's stomach clenched as some of the men shot meaningful glances at each other. Were they involved in this somehow? Zuko couldn't authorize troops without a majority vote from the Fire Council. If this was part of the corruption…

"I'm afraid a small band of rebels is not a large enough issue to warrant Fire Nation troops." Saiko replied swiftly, his hands folded lightly in front of him.

Katara felt Zuko tense next to her, and the flames in the room flared. "A small band of rebels?" He hissed, leaning forward so that he was barely on the edge of his chair. "They've burned down four villages! Killed all of their cattle, set all of their crops on fire! They've cut off communications in and out of the district! Lady Mai had to sneak over her own borders and deliver this news personally! And you have the audacity to suggest that this isn't a matter worthy of our nation's troops?" Zuko began to stand up. "Lady Mai informed me that people are beginning to disappear. Do you have no empathy? Do you have no shame for -"

Without thinking, Katara reached out and laid a hand on his shoulder. He seemed to come back to himself at her touch, and he sat back in his seat, taking a breath to calm his racing heart. The Sages were staring at Katara in a mixture of shock and disapproval, and Katara pulled her hand away from Zuko quickly, her cheeks flushing. Was that not an acceptable thing to do in the Fire Nation? It probably wasn't. She had probably just embarrassed him.

"I apologize for your frustration, my Lord." Saiko said with little conviction. "Allow us to vote. All in favor of sending Fire Nation troops to assist with a few rebels in the Rotaki District?"

Though she hadn't expected anything different, Katara still felt a wave of anger crash over her when none of the Sages raised their hands. She was so blinded with rage that she almost didn't see one of the Sages on the other side of the table raising his hand slowly, hesitation written plainly across his wrinkled face. The other eight men looked at him, shocked, and Katara looked up at Zuko, seeing that he was just as surprised.

"Aizok?" Zuko's voice sounded just as baffled as everyone looked. "You submit your vote in favor?"

The man, who seemed to be one of the oldest in the group, hesitated a bit more before nodding his head firmly. "Yes, my Lord." He replied, his voice rattling. "Though it doesn't change the result, I must uphold my morals."

Zuko stared at the man. "I respect that, Aizok. Thank you." He bowed his head slightly before turning to address Saiko, glowering. "Since the rest of you have decided to be utter fools and betray the citizens of Rotaki - citizens of the Fire Nation - you have left me no choice." Katara tore her glaring eyes away from the lead Sage to look at Zuko, frowning. What was he planning to do?

Zuko stood up. "I will be travelling back to the Rotaki District with Lady Mai. Coming with us will be Avatar Aang, Master Katara, Master Toph, and Warriors Sokka and Suki. We will be leaving immediately."

Katara stood in complete shock. They were doing what now?

"There will be absolutely NO decisions made while I am gone." Zuko commanded, his voice rising. "If any issues arise, you can take the liberty of explaining that I had to take care of this dangerous problem personally, since you all decided that it wasn't worth the attention of our soldiers. Aizok," Zuko looked back down at the man, who met his gaze steadily. "You have no responsibilities until I get back." Saiko opened his mouth to protest against this, but Zuko cut him off. "You will NOT speak."

The hearth pit flared wildly, and despite being feet away from it, Katara couldn't help but step back. Zuko continued, the heat in his voice more scalding than the fire. "I did not put you in this situation. YOU did. You were the ones who were foolish enough to ignore our citizens when they so clearly need our help. You left me no choice but to take action myself, and I will not leave the decisions of my nation to a lot of fools such as you. You will take responsibility for your decision by personally addressing why all meetings and decisions in the capitol have been halted. I'm sure it'll be a full time task. You are all dismissed."

Saiko, for once, looked utterly astounded. "But, my Lord-"

"LEAVE!"

Zuko's voice shook the room, and Katara resisted the urge to step back even farther as the flames of the hearth suddenly raged. The Sages had no choice but to knock their chairs back and scramble away, lest they be burned by the fury of the Fire Lord. They took his command to heart and began scurrying out of the room, Zuko's bellow still echoing in the large hall.

He turned and began to walk out of the room. It took Katara a few seconds to snap herself out of her shock and follow him, and the rest of the group followed suit, rushing after the Fire Lord into the hallway.

"What are you thinking?" Mai hissed, catching up to him. "You can't just leave here! Who's going to take care of-"

"I need to get out of here, Mai." Zuko stopped, causing the whole group to halt and bump into one another. "I haven't left the capitol in years - I'm going insane. And you need help. We're going." He kept walking. Mai and Katara exchanged a worried glance before rushing after him.

"Zuko." Mai said again, her voice uncharacteristically urgent. "I understand your intentions, but for Agni's sake, stop and think! These rebels have taken over at least two villages and we know they've infiltrated many more, we can't just walk into the district and expect to fix everything! The Fire Lord, the Avatar, representatives of other nations - it's like you're trying to pick a fight!"

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "They picked a fight when they began harming my people. If they want to sort things out with violence, I'm perfectly fine with that. We need to solve this crisis as soon as possible."

Katara grabbed his arm. "Zuko, you surely don't mean we're leaving immediately -"

"Yes." Zuko shook her hand away.

"What?" Sokka protested from a few feet behind them, trying to keep up with Zuko's pace. "What the hell are you talking about? We can't just leave, we don't have anything packed!"

Zuko didn't even bother to turn around and face Sokka. "Emergency travel packs are created for every high-clearance resident of the palace. All of you have a go-bag, we just need to go pick them up. Ty Lee," He turned to the side, looking at her. "I know the Kyoshi Warriors are pretty self-regulating, so if you're left in charge, it won't be a big task, will it?"

Ty Lee giggled. "It'll hardly be a task at all!"

"Good." Zuko nodded. He looked past her at her sister. "Nasoki, do you mind heading up a group of about ten women to come with us?"

"Oh, Zuko-" Suki said quickly, running forward. "I've given Ty Lee and Nasoki the next few days off…"

"No, Suki. I want to come." Nasoki interrupted, her voice strangely firm. "I want to help. Please, Suki." She added as Suki opened her mouth to argue, but Suki recognized the passion in Nasoki's eyes and decided against it. Zuko looked between them, obviously confused, but thought it best not to ask. Nasoki nodded respectfully back at Zuko. "I'll gather eleven fresh warriors and have them pack as quickly as possible."

Zuko waved his hand. "All Kyoshi Warriors are high clearance, so you have emergency travel bags. Just meet us on the steps of the palace."

Nasoki blinked in surprise. Zuko led them into the courtyard and stopped walking, staring at Nasoki with expectation, and the warrior quickly bowed before running around the corner. The Fire Lord peered around, apparently checking if anyone was listening, before lowering his voice and addressing Ty Lee and Suki. "I'm sorry to have to ask you this, but will your warriors be willing to help with Azula?"

Ty Lee's face fell into an unreadable dark expression. "I thought she wasn't...here anymore?" She asked, wincing at her own words.

"She isn't. She doesn't speak or move. But if I'm gone, there will be no one here to feed her, and the servant women who usually handle her hygienic needs aren't willing to be in a room with her unless I'm with them. Maybe-"

"Don't worry, Zuko." Ty Lee interrupted, her eyes flashing. The abnormal amount of seriousness in her expression was unnerving. "We can take care of everything."

Zuko winced. "Ty Lee, I don't want to put you guys in that situation."

Suki raised her eyebrows at him. "In what situation? Taking care of your sister?"

Zuko looked over at Katara absentmindedly, who was pretending not to listen. "She has meltdowns every few days, still. It can be dangerous."

"Zuko, we've fought your sister." Suki reminded him, folding her arms across her chest. "I don't think an occasional meltdown is going to scare any of us away. We're more than capable of defending ourselves-"

"And we want to help!" Ty Lee added, standing up taller. "We can take care of everything, I promise. We'll take great care of her."

Zuko hesitated, but his concern for Azula won over. "Can you have a few guards posted outside her chambers at all times? Room 4194, on one of the upper floors. I'm sure you can get one of the servants to show you if you can't find it. If she has a meltdown, you don't technically have to do anything, but she can get really loud." He looked up at the sky, squinting, his mouth open as if he was going to continue but no words came out.

Suki put her hand on his arm. "They'll take care of her, Zuko. Don't worry."

Zuko looked at Suki but didn't respond. The mixture of concern and defiance on his face clearly showed that he was, in fact, going to worry, and there was nothing she could do to stop him. Nasoki was returning with the rest of the travelling warriors, and Zuko cleared his throat. "Alright - thank you so much, Ty Lee." He bowed slightly to her, and she did the same back before running off. Everyone was looking at Zuko expectantly, and he nodded, a mixture of wild emotions coursing through him. "Let's go. We're moving on foot."

He tried to ignore the purposeful glare that Katara shot at him as he turned around, leading his friends out of the palace gates, beginning what was going to be a very long walk.

o0o0o

It felt like at least an hour had passed, and Zuko had been walking alone the entire time. He wanted to be alone, that much was clear, so Katara let him be. But she wasn't going to let things slide for much longer. They needed to talk about last night - they needed to talk about Azula.

She tried to keep her mind off of things by looking around at the scenery. They had left the capitol a little while back, and they were currently in the edge of the Tachuri district. This area was one of the few natural deserts left in the Fire Nation, and it was beautiful. It was also scorching hot.

"So, what's his problem."

Katara jolted slightly. Mai had walked up next to her, and Katara hadn't noticed at all until she had spoken in her typical low tone. Katara wiped the sweat from her brow. "Wh-what?" She asked, taken off guard. "Who?"

"Zuko." Mai nodded ahead of them, where Zuko kept his pace. "He looks terrible - no offense. And I haven't seen him be so irrational in a long time. What's up with him?"

Katara looked behind them, where Aang and Sokka were joking around with Suki. "That might be a better question for Aang or Toph. I've only been here a day."

Katara didn't have to look to know that Mai was rolling her eyes. "I asked you. Can you answer me?"

Thinking for a moment, Katara decided that was a fair statement. "Well, I know he barely sleeps anymore. And he's really worried about Azula. But that's really it."

Mai nodded, as if this made sense. She kept her eyes forward."Why do you keep looking at him as if he killed your pet?"

Katara blushed. Did she really look that upset? "Oh, it's nothing."

Mai finally looked at Katara, her eyebrows arched slightly. "You expect me to believe that?" She mused, looking back at the trail in front of them. "Okay, I can't make you tell me. I was just curious."

"No, I mean…" Katara sighed. "He just cut off a conversation we were having yesterday about something important. He shut my idea down and left quickly, and we've been too busy to talk about it."

"That sounds shitty." Mai said. In a different time, Katara would have thought that her impassive voice was an indication that she didn't care. But Katara could tell that Mai was actually listening, and she appreciated that. "Zuko avoids things when they get hard. Remember that for the future."

Katara frowned. "What do you mean, for the future?"

"You're going to be here for a while." Mai shrugged. "You might as well get used to it now. You're probably doing the right thing, wanting to bring it back up with him. I always just let things go, and then shit would build up and we would fight."

Katara looked at her, surprised. "You don't seem like the type to let things slide."

"I'm not." Mai sniffed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "But I am the type that wanted to keep our relationship happy. If he didn't want to talk about some random shit, I wouldn't ask. I would only push him to talk about things if it involved me or our relationship." Mai looked down, a dark look passing over her face. "I was raised to never question anything. It's taken me this past year to actually learn how to stand up for myself and what I want. It actually sounds pretty pathetic."

"No," Katara disagreed immediately. "We all have different ways we need to learn and grow, and it's good you had the opportunity to find more of your voice."

Mai was silent for a few moments before continuing. "Communication definitely isn't my strong suit. But as you can see, I'm improving, considering I'm actually talking to someone at all right now."

Katara nodded, absentmindedly falling into step with Mai. "That's great. Do you think that your relationship with Zuko would be more healthy if it started again?"

Mai scoffed. "Oh, no. I love Zuko, but not that way. I love him in the way you'll always love your first crush, the first person who ever treated you as an equal and saw something in you that you never could see."

Katara immediately thought of Aang, and she understood completely. "I get it." She assured her, kicking a stone off of the path. "You're a lot more open than you used to be." She noted, looking over at Mai. "I like talking to you."

Mai looked up at the sky. "It's strange. Talking to people. Talking about myself. I wasn't able to do any of that a year ago, but here I am talking about my life to you, of all people. I don't even know why, really."

Katara pursed her lips, thinking. "Well, you said you've improved a lot in the last year, and you can't improve communication without people to talk to, so you obviously had at least one person you were with consistently. If you were running around getting all of these signatures, you haven't seen them in a while. Maybe you're just needing to vent a little bit."

Mai chuckled, and Katara looked over at her, frowning. She didn't seem to have any humor in her voice - in fact, her tone sounded more strained when she answered. "Until the last few months, I ran around my district with a very good friend of mine." Mai slid a small water pouch out of her robes and took a sip before continuing. "I met her on my way home from the capitol, and I decided to stay with her." Mai squeezed her eyes shut. "She taught me a lot about myself. About who I am, and who I can be. And the sort of things I can feel. I actually thought I was going to be happy in life, and then she was killed."

Katara gasped, her hand on her chest. Out of all the things Mai could have said, that was among the least Katara would have expected. "Agni, Mai, I'm so sorry…did you catch who did it? Are they in prison?"

"No." Mai looked over at Katara, her eyes blazing with emotion in a way that seemed so unnatural on her face. "They're dead."

"Oh." A chill went up Katara's spine. She continued slowly. "She was more than a friend, wasn't she?"

Mai didn't speak, she only nodded, and Katara suddenly understood. "I'm glad you found someone, Mai." She said softly. "And I'm sorry you lost her."

Mai looked away. It didn't take a genius to know she was blinking water out of her eyes. And it didn't take a waterbender to know that the tears came anyway.

o0o0o

Zuko ignored how hot he was. He hadn't trekked long distances in such heat since he had been banished, but those experiences still lived in him, and he would not falter or complain. He wasn't wandering the desert as an unwanted, banished son. He was the Fire Lord, and he had a job to do. He wasn't searching for his honor. He had it.

Well, sort of.

Something brushed against his arm and he jumped to the side, whipping his hands up in front of him in a horrible attempt at a firebending stance. Katara stepped back slightly, pulling her hand away from him. "Um, sorry…" She mumbled. She was flushed from the heat, but she turned a bit pinker still. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Zuko put a hand to his chest and he paused for a moment before continuing forward. "You're fine." He knew why she was here. It was perfectly clear what she wanted to talk about, so he waited for her to bring it up. He certainly didn't want to be the one to bring it up - Agni, he didn't even want to talk about it!

But she just walked along beside him in silence, looking down at the dusty ground. She wasn't seriously expecting him to bring this up, was she? He didn't want to talk about it in the first place, that was the whole point! She knew that! Zuko huffed under his breath, feeling begrudgingly relieved when she began to speak.

"I'm sorry."

Zuko's mind seemed to crash for a few moments. What? "You're sorry?" He repeated dumbly, looking over at her. "Sorry for what?"

"Earlier…" Katara looked back down at the trail. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you in front of the Fire Council. I know that your culture is more uptight about traditions and rules, and you said so yourself last night that helping other people is seen as acknowledging weakness. I wasn't thinking when I grabbed your shoulder, I only realized when they were all looking at me funny, and -"

Zuko finally realized what in Agni's name she was talking about. Back during the emergency Fire Council, when Zuko had stood up informally due to his anger, Katara had reached out and grabbed his shoulder. She was right, in a sense - such a gesture was seen as pity in the Fire Nation, and it was certainly out of line during a Fire Council. But Zuko honestly hadn't thought much of it. "Katara, I didn't even remember it until you just brought it up to me." He confessed. "The Sages already think I'm a horrible ruler, I could care less what they thought of it. Besides, I was wrong to have overreacted in that way, and you helped me remember to calm down."

"Oh," Katara relaxed a bit. "Okay." She was silent for a few steps before she spoke again, sounding more like herself. "So, are you going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

Katara glared at him for a few moments. "You dumbass." She grumbled at him, pulling her hair up into a bun off of her neck. Man, it was hot out here. "Why did you run away from me last night after giving me that bullshit answer?"

Zuko sniffed. "I didn't run away, I -"

"Just answer the question, Zuko."

"I don't want to put you in that situation." Zuko snapped. He kept his eyes on the trail in front of them...the long, endless, dusty trail. "It probably won't work, anyway."

Katara stared at him, but he continued to look ahead. He knew that they were getting close - they had been walking long enough along the borders of Tachuri that they had to be approaching the outer villages of the Rotaki district. Katara leaned forward, trying to meet his gaze. "Are you avoiding my eyes?"

"Why do you care so much?" He shot back, pulling at his shirt. The heat didn't bother him, but the sweat certainly did.

"Why do I care?" Katara's voice rose incredulously. "Why won't you LOOK at me, Zuko? Am I that repulsing?"

"WHAT?" Zuko whipped his head around to look at her, baffed. "Wh-what are you talking about? Of course not!"

Katara folded her arms across her chest. "Then why -"

"I'm avoiding your eyes because I don't really want to talk about this." Zuko interrupted, kicking some dust up into the air. Katara continued to watch him as he drove forward, his pace never relenting, his eyebrows furrowed.

What in Agni's name was causing him to be so uptight?

"Mai told me that you do that a lot." Katara finally said, casually bending some water out of her flask and into her mouth. She swallowed. "Well, I'm not letting you do it this time."

Zuko looked over at her, baffled. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Katara shrugged. "Mai said that when you get uncomfortable, or if something is hard to deal with, you'll just avoid it. That's what you're doing right now, isn't it?"

Zuko skipped over Katara's question and headed straight for what was, in his opinion, the important part. "When did you talk to Mai?" He spluttered, sweat dripping into his eyes. He blinked it away rapidly as Katara snorted. "You and Mai, you two talked?"

Katara rolled her eyes. "Agni, Zuko, are you that thick-skulled?" She knocked on the side of her head. "Are Mai and I not supposed to talk or something?"

"No, I don't mean it like that!" Zuko groaned. He really needed sleep. "I just…you guys are so different, and Mai isn't really a person who talks to people, much less makes friends."

"Did you not see us talking for the last half an hour?" She pointed behind them, and Zuko peered around, where Mai was walking a few meters behind them. She was alone, seemingly lost in thought as she stared at the scenery. He looked back at Katara as she smirked. "You're so inattentive. Mai's changed a lot in the past year, you know."

"Just tell me what you want to know." Zuko grumbled. She opened her mouth to speak, but he quickly added, "One question at a time, please."

"Fine." Katara sniffed in indignation. "Why did you say no to me healing Azula?"

Zuko immediately wanted to disintegrate into dust and become part of the sandy desert landscape, blown away in the wind far, far away from this question. "Um," He began awkwardly, "I just, uh...I really don't want Azula to be your problem too."

Katara raised her eyebrows. "...you're kidding me, right?"

"No."

"I WANT to do this!" She threw her arms up in the air, exasperation written across her face. "How could she be a problem for me if helping her is something I want to do?"

The logical part of Zuko's mind told him that she had a point, but there was still something causing him to refuse to relent. "Katara, it's not worth your time, it's probably not going to work." His voice didn't even convince himself.

"Wow, you must really think I'm a shit healer, then," Katara folded her arms again, glaring at him. "Considering you've never even tried waterbending techniques on Azula for treatment, so you have no factual basis for your argument."

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "Katara, I have no idea what you think you're going to do, but what makes you so sure it's going to work, anyway?"

"What makes you so sure it's NOT going to work?" She shot back, her eyes flashing.

"I don't want to get my hopes up again, Katara!"

She blinked at the elevation of his voice. Oh. Things started to click into place. He avoids things when they get hard. She reached over to grab his arm. "Zuko…"

He pulled away, avoiding her gaze. "Please, don't." he pleaded. They walked in silence for a few moments.

"You don't have to come with me."

Zuko looked over at her, frowning. "Huh?"

Katara met his gaze seriously. "You don't have to come with me when I try and heal her. I could always go by myself, and that way you wouldn't have to think about it."

Zuko chuckled. "There's no way I'm letting you see Azula without me going with you."

"Why?"

"Because it's too dangerous!"

Katara's eyes widened. "Excuse me?" She stared at him in disbelief for a few moments before flying into an angry rant. "It's too dangerous? I'm a MASTER WATERBENDER, Zuko! Do I need to be protected by Zuko from Azula - big, scary Azula?" Katara pretended to think mockingly. "Because only you can protect me from Azula, right, Zuko? Because you were the one to beat her in the Agni Kai, right? Oh, wait." Katara stuck out her bottom lip in an exaggeratingly fake pout. "You didn't win the Agni Kai. I did. Did you forget why I was here? Or did it slip your mind while we were walking for the last few hours that the entire reason I'm here is because I beat Azula, not you, so I'll be damned if you say ONE more thing about protecting me, because that's some utter bullshit."

Katara stopped, her face even redder than it had been before, and she was panting slightly. Zuko just walked in silence, completely shocked.

After a few minutes of heavy silence, Katara cleared her throat. "Um, are you going to say something?"

"What am I supposed to say?" Zuko asked, his voice weary. He pulled his hair out of its topknot in order to re-tie it. "You're right. But I'm responsible for her, and I still feel horrible if other people are with her and I'm not." He finished his hair and looked back down at the ground. "I've been trying to convince myself I made the right decision by asking the Kyoshi warriors to help with her, and I still am so conflicted."

Katara nodded slowly. "So...you know that I can probably help, but you're too scared of being let down again, so you don't want to put your hope in me...but then you're also insisting that if I try, you have to be there. Even though I'm perfectly capable of trying to treat Azula by myself, and then you wouldn't have to worry about it. I wouldn't even have to tell you about it."

"Katara…" Zuko winced. "I don't -"

"You know I'm going to do it anyway, right?"

Zuko closed his eyes for a moment. He realized, deep down, that he had known that. He knew that Katara had made up her mind - he had known last night when she had first brought it up. "Yeah, I know you are."

"Then…" Katara scratched her arm absentmindedly, confused. "Why are you still trying to stop me?"

"I don't know, Katara." Zuko replied, a hint of exasperation in his voice. "I'm just trying to avoid it so that I don't have to deal with it!"

"Why don't you want to deal with Azula?"

"No," Zuko rubbed his temples. "I don't want to deal with my emotions! They're too much! I care for her way more than I probably should, but at the same time there's this part of me that still despises her. I hate seeing her like this, but I'm terrified of the old Azula coming back." Zuko rubbed the dust out of his eyes. "Agni, my family is so fucked up."

Katara rested a hand on his arm, and this time he didn't pull away. "Zuko," She began hesitantly, as if she wasn't sure if she should ask this question. "...why did you stop looking for your mother?"

Zuko looked up at the horizon. The sun floated lazily in front of them, and he could barely see the outline of a village through the hazy heat. "I hired seven different experts to find her, Katara. For two years. There was no point in keeping hope."

They continued to walk in silence. Behind them, they could hear Sokka and Aang cracking jokes, sparking laughter among the rest of the group. Katara finally let go of Zuko's arm. "You really shouldn't give up hope so easily."

Zuko frowned at her. "Why not?"

"You act like hope is a bad thing." Katara shook her head. "Hope is powerful. You don't have to ignore reality to have hope, Zuko."

Zuko only had the emotional stamina for one thing at a time, so he backtracked slightly. "Katara, can we make a deal?" He asked, rolling his sleeves up a little higher.

"Sure, I guess so." Katara bent some more water into her mouth. She offered some to him, and he hesitated a moment before obliging, opening his mouth so that she could guide the water inside. "What kind of deal?"

Zuko swallowed. Agni, that one drink of water made the heat of the desert so much more bearable. "When we get back to the palace, you can treat Azula whenever you like." He fought with the words as they came out of his mouth. "But if I'm not also there, you have to give me honest updates about your visits. If she hurts you, don't hide it from me."

Katara thought about it for a moment. "As long as you promise not to freak out and make me stop treating her if she hurts me." she added, a slight hint of teasing in her voice.

Zuko couldn't help but scowl at the knowing look on her face. "Fine. But I'm serious, Katara. I know you'll do this whether I want you to or not, so I won't stop you, but please keep me in the loop."

"Of course, Zuko." Katara was more serious this time. "This is your sister we're talking about - you have the right to know."

"I hate to interrupt your conversation, but I think we should have an actual plan before entering my district."

Katara and Zuko both turned quickly, Zuko's hands flying up into fists. His startled eyes met Mai's unimpressed ones and he lowered his hands a bit sheepishly. "Um, yeah, Mai!" He smiled tensely, motioning her to walk between Katara and himself. "We're approaching the border village. What is it called? Chi Lin?"

"Chan Lin." Mai corrected, staring ahead at the town. It was still far in the distance, but they were close enough to distinguish the different buildings. "This probably isn't going to go well, Zuko. You're being impulsive."

Zuko's eyebrows furrowed. "What could go so wrong?"

Mai pointed toward the village. "Where do you think my damn communications have been cut off, Zuko? They've infiltrated Chan Lin. You can't expect the Fire Lord, the Avatar, Kyoshi Warriors and a bunch of Master benders to just walk in without creating some problems!"

"She's right, Zuko." Katara grimaced. "We're practically asking for a fight."

Zuko pursed his lips. "We need information. In order to know who the rebels are, we're going to have to lure them out with a fight. If we were disguised as ordinary citizens, or tried to sneak past, they would continue to masquerade as citizens and we'd have no clue."

"If we attack them, it'll alert the entire district that we're here!" Mai snapped, making a sharp gesture with her hand. "Agni, Zuko the whole NATION will know about it by the end of the day! They'll attack us!"

"Or they'll run."

Mai stared at him. "You think an army of rebels will run from you?"

"I'm the Fire Lord!" Zuko jutted his thumb over his shoulder. "We have the avatar with us, not to mention a master waterbender and a master earthbender. I would say that's pretty intimidating."

Katara bit her lip. "Zuko, it's not like non-benders can't have our level of skill. Look at Suki and her warriors, and Sokka, and Mai. If they have multiple talented non-benders, they won't be afraid to take us in a fight. There are only eighteen of us and there are hundreds of them."

Zuko clenched his jaw, staring at the approaching city for a moment before replying. "It'll take some time for the news to reach rebels staking in other parts of Rotaki, and if they decide to attack us, they still have to get organized. We'd have enough time to get to Bhang Chi. As the Governor, Mai has authority over the district troops." He looked directly at her, and her eyes widened slightly, as if she hadn't fully realized this. "For the size of your district, I believe. You have 35 thousand soldiers, correct?"

"Yes," Mai breathed, still processing the information. "Agni, I had completely forgotten about district soldiers. If we go fast enough and get to Bhang Chi before nightfall, that just might work."

Katara chuckled, and they both looked at her. "What?" Zuko asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Oh, nothing." Katara waved him off, turning to walk back toward the rest of the group, who lingered a ways behind them. "It's just that, for someone who claims to not like hope, you sure spend a whole lot of time convincing people to believe in you."

Zuko didn't know what to say, so he just stared after her as she went to tell everyone else their plan. No...HIS plan.

"You don't need to ignore reality to have hope, Zuko."

o0o0o

Explaining the plan was simple enough, but having to walk for another ten minutes in anticipation for a fight was agonizing. They had all decided that everyone besides the Kyoshi Warriors, Zuko, and Mai should dress inconspicuously and cover their faces and heads. The less people knew about them, the better. They approached the village in silence, Zuko and Mai in the lead. Aang, Katara, Toph, Sokka, and Suki were all dressed in tan desert clothes, hoods shadowing their eyes and coverings over their faces.

The Kyoshi warriors all had their hands on their fans or blades, and Katara felt her own hand resting on her water flask. Sokka fiddled with his boomerang. His space sword seemed to weigh heavier on his side than normal. Suko hadn't come as a Kyoshi warrior, but she still had her fans and her katana, and both sat at her waist. Aang gripped his glider staff a bit more tightly than normal, but he focused on the flow of energy through him, on meditation. Toph was the only person who wasn't any more tense - she simply smirked, humming to herself as they walked up to the village.

There was a pathetically old and crumbling border wall surrounding the village that met in an archway above a wide street. It was a simple place - houses made of wood and stone, sometimes brick, and a clear dirt path in the center. Zuko put his hand out in front of Mai, slowing down as he peered around. There were no guards at the entrance to the town...there weren't even guards on the street inside. Zuko didn't see anyone.

"Stay together," He whispered to everyone, and they all nodded, bunching together into a tight group. Toph grumbled in disapproval as people closed in around her, but didn't argue, and they followed Zuko through the archway and into Chan Lin.

They seemed to be in the downtown area, where all the shops were. It was midday, and you would expect the markets to be bustling with business, but it was empty. It was eerily silent.

TOO silent.

Toph reached forward to where Zuko was walking in front of her and tugged on his robes. "Be prepared," She whispered just loud enough for their group to hear. "There are people inside all of these buildings. A lot of people."

Zuko stood up straighter. No one reacted to her words. They had been expecting a fight, but they weren't necessarily prepared for an ambush. Toph inhaled quietly, adding, "There's someone walking toward us. On our right - around the next corner."

An uncomfortably cheerful voice broke through the silence. "Fire Lord Zuko!"

They all jumped in feigned surprise, looking around with wide eyes and open mouths. Zuko's eyes narrowed immediately when they fell on the woman, who looked to be about a decade his senior. She was wearing a similar tan outfit to Katara and Suki, except she had pulled her hood back and she had no face covering. Her hair was only a few inches long, but it was a rich brown. Her eyes were also brown...but they were cold and empty. They didn't match her warm smile. She approached them casually. "Why, what is the Fire Lord doing in Chan Lin?" She asked, bowing slightly.

Zuko nodded back to her. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know your name." He replied smoothly, avoiding her question. "You clearly know who I am, but I cannot say the same about you."

The woman studied him for a moment before bowing again. "My apologies, Fire Lord. I am Rheit, one of the leaders here in Chan Lin. We're surprised by your sudden presence, and your entourage of…" She looked around at the group with an unreadable expression. "...unexpected companions. Regardless, it's an honor to have you visit us. What brings you to our humble village?"

Zuko glanced at Mai, who made no acknowledgement of the woman. This wasn't the real Noble leader of Rotaki...he must be talking to one of the rebels. He needed to think quickly. "This is the quickest way into the Rotaki district." Zuko answered, gesturing in the center of the group. On cue, Mai stepped forward, her face completely blank except for a cool glare in her eyes. "We're escorting Governor Mai back to Bhang Chi."

Rheit actually took a step back, her demeanor changing into shock and denial before she regained her composure. "Lady M- I mean, Governor Mai," she corrected. "The news of your position hadn't reached us yet, and I'm honored to congratulate you personally."

"Thank you." Mai's voice was like a razor. "I'm glad to see that you and your villagers have been staying safe in these last few months."

Rheit's eyes widened at that comment. "Oh! Well, it really has been quite concerning, what happened to those other villages. But there's been no trouble here at all, thank Agni!"

Mai nodded, her unblinking eyes fixed steadily on Rheit's. "I'm relieved to hear that," she replied, her tone dark. "Allow me to assure you that I will get a hold of this situation immediately. You will not have to worry about these insects invading our home."

Rheit's eyes flashed, but she kept her composure. "Thank you, governor." She inclined her head, her tone strained. "It sounds like you already have a plan."

"I do." Mai answered simply. They all stood there for a moment in the middle of the dusty street, which was still unnaturally quiet. Rheit stared at Mai for a few moments before something in her eyes changed, and not even a second later, she was lunging forward, pulling out a concealed dagger and ramming it toward Mai's chest.

Everyone tried to jump to her defense, but no one was faster than Mai. She stepped aside, narrowly avoiding the dagger, and threw a few knives before Rheit had time to recover. The blades embedded themselves along the rebel's outstretched arm, and she screamed in pain, dropping the dagger. Mai brought her other hand up, shooting a stiletto out of her sleeve and into the woman's side. Rheit collapsed to the ground, crying out.

"She'll be unconscious soon, but it won't last long." Mai looked up at the rest of the group darkly. "That stiletto was coated in a paralysing agent."

A few of the Kyoshi warriors grabbed Rheit under the arms and dragged her to a nearby shop, where they rested her outside the door, shaded from the sun. "Will she be okay?" Nasoki asked, her eyes wide.

Mai shrugged, unbothered. "She won't bleed out of her arm unless someone takes the knives out and doesn't treat her. Someone will find her, and she should be fine."

"Come on, guys, we need to move on." Zuko motioned for the group to follow him, but when they turned to go down the street, there was nowhere for them to go.

The streets were flooded with people - all kinds of people - different ages, sizes, and looks. They were murmuring to themselves, and they all held weapons. The kinds of weapons they held were almost as diverse as the people themselves.

"Fuck." Zuko murmured, throwing his arm out to stop his friends from moving forward. Katara glared at his arm hovering in front of her, annoyed, and she pushed it away.

"You said so yourself, Zuko," She hissed. "We're going to attract attention. There's no way we can avoid this fight."

"Everyone, spread out." Suki ordered softly, just loud enough for them to hear. The Kyoshi warriors immediately moved into a distanced formation, standing about three feet apart from each other, and standing with their backs to one another. Zuko didn't have time to reflect on how he was, once again, amazed at their coordination - instead, he realized that they were completely surrounded now, and he resisted the urge to spin around in panic. This was NOT what he was expecting.

There hadn't been a lot of battles in the last few years. In the few moments that they stood surrounded by the rebels, Zuko began to fall into his old patterns. The faint pop of Katara uncapping her water flask, the unfurling of Suki's fans, the scrape of metal as Sokka unsheathed his sword...he could practically hear Toph planting her feet in an Earthbending stance. It was a familiar part of battle that felt secure...the knowledge that he wasn't alone. Zuko felt a smile tug at his lips, and he got into a bending stance of his own, flame burning around his fist. No, he wasn't alone anymore.

There were a few moments of tense silence before a few of the rebels yelled, raising their blades toward the group. Joining the cry, the rest of the rebels, ran forward, weapons raised, closing in on the surrounded newcomers.

Zuko shot a column of flame into the oncoming crowd, causing them to falter and draw back. Aang opened his glider and flew to a nearby roof, where he flung a stream of air at some of the rebels, knocking them all over. "It's the Avatar!" One of them screamed. They all looked up at him in shock, and they were caught even more off-guard when the ground below them began to rumble, throwing them to the ground. Toph laughed as they all groaned, and she kept the ground moving, keeping them off balance.

Behind them, Suki ducked under a man's arm as he tried to stab her, and she rammed her elbow into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He doubled over, wheezing, and she kneed his head. He fell over, unconscious. She had her back to Sokka, who knocked an ax away from his head.

"Suki, on your left!" He yelled, slamming the hilt of his space sword down onto the rebel's hand. She dropped the ax, crying out, and Sokka hit her with the flat of his blade, knocking her out completely. Suki looked over at her boyfriend's warning, narrowly dodging a sword as it slashed through the air toward her. She blocked the rest of the blow with her fans, grunting at the impact, and she shoved back, kicking the man's legs out from under him. He fell and impaled his own sword through his shoulder, screaming. Suki looked up at a sudden movement, gasping as she realized there was a rebel with a bow, aiming at Sokka's back and preparing to fire. She dove in front of him, knocking the arrow aside with her fans. The metal arrow screeched along the metal and she fell to the ground, rolling once before getting back up, snarling. Sokka looked at her, wide eyed.

"There's an archer!" She yelled over the chaos. She looked back at the rebel, who was drawing another arrow, and was preparing to charge at him when he was knocked off of his feet completely by a jet of water.

Katara stood behind him, her face shriveled in fury. "Are you okay?" She called to Suki, who nodded, and went back to helping Sokka.

Katara wrapped her water around the leg of the nearest rebel, yanking her off her feet. She heard footsteps behind her and spun quickly, lashing the water as a whip toward the incoming man, hitting his hands and causing him to drop the club he was clutching. She kicked him in the groin before looking back around the corner, where there was a side street.

Katara had the water from her flask, but she was being drawn to something down that street - a bigger source of water. That could change the course of the battle dramatically. "I'll be right back," She yelled to Suki. "I think there's more water around the corner, I'm going to go get it!"

Suki nodded, putting away her fans and drawing her katana. Katara raced away, throwing the nearest man to the ground with her water whip as he tried to chase her. She slid around the corner and…

Aha! There were two barrels of water. She ran toward them, about to bend the liquid out of the containers when -

"Don't move, or the kid gets it."

Katara froze. Turning slowly, she gasped, letting the water around her fall to the ground. A skinny man with a crooked nose stood in the shadows, holding a dirty knife to the neck of a child. The little girl couldn't have been more than five. She trembled in fear, staring at Katara in a silent plea for help.

"Please," Katara held her hands up. "Don't hurt her, I'll do whatever you want."

The man smiled wickedly. "Just don't resist."

Katara cried out in surprise as someone grabbed her, shoving her to the ground, and wrenched her arms behind her back painfully. They tied her hands there. She was roughly hauled to her feet. He came around to her side, emptying the rest of her flask. He looked much more put together, and he didn't look nearly as...evil as the other man. No...he almost looked frantic. "Is this good, Shih?" He asked the skinny man.

"It's good enough. Just make it so they can see her face." The man, Shih, still holding the knife to the girl's throat, looked at Katara. "If you try to pull anything funny, if you try to fight us, I'll cut her throat, do ya understand?" He snapped. The girl closed her eyes, whimpering.

Katara nodded. "Yes, I understand." The man holding her ripped her face covering and hood off, throwing them to the ground. Thankfully, they didn't seem to recognize her.

"Good."

The little girl let out a small sob, and Katara closed her eyes as the other man shoved her forward, her heart thundering in her ears. 

_I am a Master Waterbender, and my element is all around me._

_I am a Master Waterbender, and my element is all around me._

_I am a Master Waterbender._

o0o0o

Zuko felt much better now that he had a pair of dao swords. Granted, they weren't his - but the rebel wouldn't need them anymore, anyway. Besides...Zuko preferred to use his swords against opponents with weapons.

Some of the rebels had...unique weaponry - some had swords and daggers, a few had axes, one had a bow and arrows. But many had clubs, one had a slingshot, and there were a few with hooked swords. These fights were easy - the skill level of Zuko's friends and the Kyoshi Warriors was far above these men and women. But Zuko hadn't had a good sword fight in a long time, and he was embarrassed to say that he was enjoying himself a bit.

He slashed the blades in an X in front of him, forcing his opponent back. The woman he was fighting, who had a scythe, growled and ran forward, her weapon raised. He easily dodged her blow and tripped her. He gasped as a wall of earth shot up behind him and he whirled around, eyes widening at the rebel who was sent flying in the air. He looked over at Toph, who smirked.

"You aren't on your A-game, Sparky!" She taunted, pulling a chunk of stone out of the ground behind her and flinging it at the nearest three rebels. It crashed into them with a brutal crunch. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were just a beginner!"

Before Zuko could say anything, he saw a knife whiz past Toph. He followed it, shocked, as it embedded itself into the neck of a rebel who had somehow climbed onto the roof of the nearest building. He had been about to jump onto Toph, and she didn't sense that he was above her. She did sense when he fell from the roof, though - landing with a sickening thud on the ground mere feet behind her. She jumped away from the man. "Fuck, what was tha -"

"Less talking," Mai snapped, flinging another knife at a rebel who was trying to sneak up on one of the Kyoshi warriors. "More fighting!" She bent down to pull her knife from the man's neck, sliding the bloody blade back up her sleeve. "Agni, Zuko," She snapped. "You were going to let a whole-ass man sneak up on Toph? I could see him from across the street!"

"He was on the roof, wasn't he?" Toph fumed. A few rebels were trying to attack Aang from behind, and she sent a layer of rock sailing toward them. "I knew I should have been paying more attention to the buildings!"

"Why are you blaming me?" Zuko asked Mai in indignation. He dodged a spear and used the flat of his blades to twist it out of the rebel woman's grasp. He kicked it away as it fell to the ground. "It's not like I knew he was there! Or I would have done something!"

"You need to be more aware of what's around you, Zuko!" Mai flung a pair of knives past Zuko, a little to close for his comfort, and hit a rebel in the chest who had been sneaking up on Zuko. Zuko knocked his own opponent out with the hilt of his blade, before looking back at the man, slightly stunned that he had been so close to Zuko without him noticing. "You're oblivious." Mai walked over and pulled her knives out of the mans chest, and she gestured to him pointedly. "Toph is more observant than you, and she's blind."

Toph let out a burst of laughter. "Jokes on you, Mai - I can see more than ALL of you COMBINED! But you're right, Zuko is helpless." 

Zuko's mouth fell open in indignation. "Hey, that's not -"

"You lot better surrender, or we'll slice their necks!"

Zuko looked up at the snide voice and felt his blood run cold. At the end of the broad street were two men, each holding a knife to someone's neck. The man who spoke was incredibly skinny and bald, and he held a blade to a child's neck. The other man, who looked much more healthy and seemed just as scared as everyone else, held a knife to…

Zuko felt his heart stop.

KATARA

There was stillness around them. Mai and Toph slowly walked up next to him, and he could sense their desperation, as well. "Everyone, back away. Give 'em some room to breath." The man barked. The rebels immediately listened. Was this their leader? Zuko wished they didn't have face coverings on, so he could read their expressions. The group of rebels who were still standing, which was still quite a lot, stood in a large circle around them. The circle ended at the two men, who were still standing with their knives pressed to the girl's throats.

"Let them go."

Aang's voice rang clearly through the street, but the man pretended not to hear him. "Excuse me?" He asked, leaning forward slightly. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

"I said," Aang stepped forward, gripping his staff tightly. "Let them go."

The man nodded. "Oh, I see. You think we're negotiating." He chuckled, and a few of the other rebels joined him. "Silly boy, you have no power here."

"Seriously?" Katara snapped, unfazed by the knife pressed against her neck. "You think he doesn't have any power here? He's the Avatar."

Zuko glanced at Aang in concern. A lot of time and practice had gone into helping Aang manage the Avatar State, but he could see Aang struggling to keep himself tethered. "What do you want." The Airbender seethed, his teeth clenched. Zuko looked back at the man, his fists curled tightly. He felt utterly powerless.

His gaze shifted to Katara, who was glaring at the man, fury written all over her face. She then looked down at the little girl and smiled reassuringly, and mouthed something. Zuko squinted, trying to make out the words.

It'll be okay, don't worry

Zuko felt a white hot wave of anger rush over his body. Katara could have easily taken those men out. They didn't defeat her - she submitted to them willingly because otherwise, they were threatening to kill that little girl. And Katara always did what was best for other people. She always did the selfless thing. Always.

She seemed to be concentrating on something. Was she meditating? Zuko didn't remember her meditating very often - certainly not in times like this. He was trying to think of what she could be doing - what he could be doing - when something to the side of Katara caught his eye. The face coverings of the man standing next to Katara were moving, as if he were speaking, but Zuko couldn't hear anything. The man was looking at the skinny bald man, like everyone else, and nothing else seemed out of the ordinary. Frowning Zuko looked at the people around him, and his eyes widened when he saw the man holding Katara speak under his breath. It was barely noticeable - his mouth hardly moved, Zuko could hear nothing, and the man was looking at Katara. But, sure enough, the rebel man's face coverings began to move.

They were talking to one another.

_I am a Master Waterbender. I am a Master Waterbender. My element is all around me. My element is all around me. I am a Master Waterbender and my element is all around me._

Katara tried desperately to ignore her surroundings and feel what she had felt in the fountain last night, to become a part of the water around her, to pull it out of the air. Shih was gloating, demanding her friends surrender, but she blocked it out. She couldn't listen.

_I am a Master Waterbender, and my element is all around me._

Katara felt warmth at her fingertips, and it grew up her hand. She resisted the urge to sag with relief. She had done it, thank La, she had done it. Sure, it had taken her the last five minutes, but she had pulled water out of thin air in the middle of the desert. She concentrated, forming the water into a blade of ice and cutting herself free. She didn't move, though. If she did, Shih might kill that girl. No...she had to wait.

Katara clenched her jaw as she looked up at her friends. Aang and Sokka were barely holding themselves together - she was surprised Aang wasn't already in the Avatar State. Toph and Mai were both unreadable. The Kyoshi Warriors looked angry and worried, of course...the only people who looked like they were trying to think of something to do were Suki and Zuko.

Something nudged Katara's hands, and she froze. Was it the man's foot? But no, he didn't stand behind her, he stood to her side...something was behind her, bumping into where her hands were resting behind her back. Katara frowned, and she reached out to feel it. It was dusty, and she felt it crumble beneath her fingers. It was earth!

She looked up at Toph. She hadn't noticed before, but her friend's hand was outstretched ever so slightly. What was she doing? Katara reached out a little bit farther, and she almost gasped out loud.

Her hand sank into cool, watery mud. A few things clicked in Katara's mind. She didn't know how Toph had found this water, or how she got it all the way over here, but what mattered was that she had. Katara bent the muddy water out of the earth bowl as nonchalantly as possible, and she saw Toph nod slightly and smile. The earth settled back into place, and Katara bent the water slyly into her empty flask.

No sooner had she filled her flask did a rebel begin to walk behind them. Katara jumped slightly at the movement, and she looked over at the man. Like most of the rebels, and like Katara had been, he wore a hood and a face covering, so you could only see his eyes.

Those eyes were emotionless as he took out a hooked sword and brought it around Shih's neck, pulling it all the way through his throat.

There were screams, and the people around them stumbled back. Katara's friends ran forward, yelling for her, but all Katara could do was stare as Shih dropped the knife at the girl's neck and clawed at his own, where blood gushed sickeningly. The man unhooked the blade from Shih's throat and let him collapse to the ground to choke on his own blood, convulsing.

The man holding Katara's arm released her immediately, and the little girl burst into tears, running toward him. "Daddy!" She sobbed, throwing herself into him. Katara looked at the man in astonishment, and he shook his head at her, tears running down his own cheeks. "I'm so sorry," He told her, holding his daughter tightly. "He was going to kill my daughter, I'm so sorry-"

Before Katara could process this, she saw the rebel man out of the corner of her eye. He was cleaning the blood off of his hooked blade and seemed to move in slow motion as he walked toward them. Katara's entire being screamed in alarm as he began to kneel next to the little girl, who was standing next to her father.

Before this...murderer could get any closer to the child, Katara pulled the water out of her flask and flung it at him. It hit him in the chest, blasting him backward, and he hit the nearest building with a grunt. She formed ice daggers in the air above him, and he stood up against a wall, eyes wide.

"Wait, please!" He begged, dropping his weapons and holding up his hands. "Please, let me explain!" She continued to move forward, furious. He was about to harm a child! And he wanted second chances? "Please!" The man pleaded with her. "It's not what you think, Katara!"

She paused. "...How do you know my name?" She demanded, the icicles still dangling threateningly in front of him. She faintly recognized her friends walking up beside her.

The man pulled his hood and face mask away, and Katara gasped, backing up a step.

No...it couldn't be. He was dead.

"Fuck…" She heard Zuko mutter from behind her. Aang, who was standing next to Katara, also took a step back in shock. She just continued to stand there, gaping, until Sokka finally spluttered what was on everyone's minds.

"JET?"


	6. Jet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They continue on their journey, encountering a dangerous beast that happens to be familiar with one of our friends. The truth about Mai's past year is revealed, leading Sokka to talk with her. Zuko and Katara fall asleep talking together before being awakened the next morning, ready to leave - but their preparations to keep moving come to a standstill with a new discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Don't forget to leave a comment if you feel so inclined, and remember that this chapter is *unrevised*! I really hope you like it!
> 
> tw // dark themes (death, trauma)

"JET?"

It was strange to see him without a stem sticking out of his mouth, but there was no mistake - Jet stood before them, hands in the air, terror in his eyes. Katara let the ice daggers that were dangling in front of her melt. "You're alive?" she asked, almost to herself.

Jet glanced behind them at the street, where the rebels were tending to their wounded. "Look, I don't think this is a good time -" he looked back at them. Sokka was spluttering in confusion, and Aang walked up to the group, gasping.

"Jet?" The Avatar blinked a few times as if he was seeing a vision.

The rebel didn't take his eyes off of Katara, and she was just as fixated on him. They were both older, but they were the same people. With the same complicated history. "Jet…" Katara began helplessly, at a complete loss for words. "How...how did you…"

Before anyone could ask any more questions, however, a shout from behind them got their attention. "Jet!"

The man who had previously been holding a knife to Katara's neck gestured frantically. His daughter clung to the hem of his jacket. They all turned to look at him, surprised. "Let's go! Now! Before they regroup!"

Jet looked back at Katara. The man shook his head, scooping up his daughter and running around the corner. Jet's eyes glinting strangely for a moment before he tore them away, racing after them.

They stood there in shock for a few seconds, Sokka still stuttering to himself, before Toph cleared her throat. "Are you idiots going to just stand here?"

It took them a while to find where Jet had gone. In fact, they probably would have never found him if it weren't for Toph and her seismic sense. She sensed their bodies, but when they couldn't find a way into the building, she found a hidden entryway in an alley - the same alley where Katara had been captured.

The Kyoshi warriors agreed to keep watch outside. Feeling confident that they wouldn't be ambushed this time, Zuko led the rest of them through the hidden doorway and down the cracked, musty stairway. They didn't bother knocking, and Jet wasn't even surprised when they all sauntered into his home. Well, it technically wasn't his home - and his host was very much surprised. "What?" He pointed at the group, mouth falling open. "How-"

"Sit down." Zuko snapped. The vision of him pressing a blade to Katara's throat still swam in his mind, making his anger boil. The man immediately complied, his eyes wide.

Jet stood up. "Who made you the boss?" He clenched his fists glaring at Zuko. The little girl coward behind him in fear. His eyes widened suddenly, and his face contorted from shock and agitation to purest loathing. He fell into a fighting stance, pulling out his hooked swords. "YOU!"

Katara frowned, looking over her shoulder to see what Jet was looking at. Zuko stood behind her, scowling back at him with equal ferocity, and Sokka pointed at himself. "Me?" He squeaked.

Jet glanced at him, caught off guard. "What? No, not you! HIM!" He lunged forward, driving the swords toward Zuko. Katara gasped. Instinctively, she sidestepped in front of her friend, blocking Jet's path.

Jet realized this too late, and one of the hooked swords sunk into her chest. "Ah!" Katara stumbled back into Zuko, who caught her by the shoulders. Jet quickly pulled the sword out, backing away in horror. Everyone, even Zuko, just stared at her as she heaved in pain. Katara faintly heard the little girl start to cry.

Focus, Katara. Focus.

She reached up and felt at the wound. The blade had hooked onto her collarbone. She could tell without her healing that he had either torn a tendon or a muscle up into her shoulder. She cried out as she touched inside and wound, feeling for any sign of broken bones. She would have collapsed completely if Zuko hadn't been holding her up.

Her hand was covered in blood much faster than she expected, and she didn't really notice as Zuko handed her to Sokka, who continued holding her upright.

"Shit, Katara, I'm sorry!" Jet stared at the blood seeping across her shirt and down her arm, aghast. "I swear, I didn't mean to -"

"Get AWAY!" Zuko roared. He threw up his hands, sending a streak of flame shooting up between them and the rebel. Jet stumbled back, falling over a chair and cursing to himself.

Aang rushed over to Katara. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'll be okay, I just need to -" Katara winced, swallowing another cry of pain. "...I need some water, can you get me some water…"

Aang immediately reached behind Katara to where her flask was hanging, unscrewed it, and began bending water up to Katara's wound. She met his eyes, thanking him silently, and he just nodded in understanding.

Everyone was quiet for a moment, giving Katara the time she needed to concentrate on her healing. In a few minutes, the bleeding had stopped, and the stabbing pain was no longer unbearable. When Katara rotated her arm, however, she felt the echoes of pain, and she flinched. "Go ahead, everyone." She waved with her good hand, standing up on her own. "It's going to take a few days to get completely healed."

Zuko met her eyes, and his face was contorted into a strange expression. It almost looked like disgust. No, disappointment. And guilt.

"What are you doing here, Lee?" Jet demanded, crossing his blades in front of him.

There were a few seconds of confusion. "Who?" Sokka asked, his voice cracking slightly.

"Lee!" Jet pointed at Zuko with one of his swords, spitting the name as if it were poison.

Toph burst into laughter. "Did you get hypnotized again?" She asked jokingly.

Suki looked at Sokka. "Does he not know?"

"What don't I know?" Jet folded his arms. "What's going on?"

Suki mirrored him, folding her arms as well and glaring right back at him. "You really don't know, huh? You've literally been living under a rock." She scoffed to herself, shaking her head.

Jet was taken aback by her tone. "No I haven't!" he retorted, balling his hands up into fists. "Who are you, anyway?"

Suki just stared at him, her glare unwavering. "Who are you?" she shot back. He scowled at her, and she just rested her hand on the hilt of her sword.

A pebbled shot from behind Suki and hit Jet in the forehead, which caused him to take a step back, cursing loudly. Suki yelped as she was poked aggressively in the back.

"Can you two stop comparing dick sizes so that we can move on?" Toph snapped. "Come on, Suki. He's not even worth it."

Jet's mouth dropped open. "Hey, I-" He began to protest, but Toph threw another pebble at him.

"Shut the fuck up or I'll throw a boulder at you."

Jet grumbled, "I still want to know what Lee is doing with Katara and the Avatar."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "My name is Zuko." He corrected stiffly. "I'm the Fire Lord."

Jet tore his eyes away from Suki, frozen and speechless for a few moments before his face hardened. "Well, that's even worse! That's the absolute worst!"

Katara looked between the two men, stretching her shoulder. "I didn't know you two knew each other…" She frowned, thinking back. "Zuko, you know how we-"

"Yes, I know that you met him." Zuko interrupted, his eyes not leaving Jet's. "From the Ember Island play."

Suki snapped her fingers. "That's where he's from! I couldn't quite put my finger on it. He's the guy who got crushed by a boulder!"

"The one who you guys said had the spiky hair?"

Everyone turned to look at Toph. "Now you're off task!" Jet complained, pointing at her.

A rock the size of someone's hand slammed into Jet's stomach, knocking the wind out of him completely. "Shut up, Spiky!" Toph commanded, clearly enjoying herself.

Jet took a moment to glare at Toph before looking back at Zuko, narrowing his eyes. "I met L - I mean, Zuko, on my way to Ba Sing Se. I actually thought he was decent, but then I learned he was a Firebender. He was a liar, and a cheater. A traitor."

"Is that so?" Zuko snarled, stepping toward him. The little girl, who had a splatter of Katara's blood on her face and neck ran toward her father, who picked her up and backed farther away from them. Zuko continued. "Because I remember helping you and your friends out. I also remember you asking me to join your Freedom Fighters. But what did you do? You guessed that Uncle and I were Firebenders and attacked us...when we were doing nothing!"

"You were lying to us!" Jet's face turned slightly red with fury. "You were an agent of the Fire Nation!"

Zuko's eyes bulged. "I was WANTED by the Fire Nation, you asshole! I was banished!"

"Well, you got the crown! So it seems things still ended up pretty well for you, didn't they?" Jet sneered humorlessly.

Before Zuko could show Jet just how well he was doing, Mai stepped between them, shoving both men back. Zuko stumbled into Aang and Jet fell into his seat, grunting. "Enough!" She said harshly, glaring at Zuko. "You can deal with this another time. We need to move on."

Everyone looked at Mai, preparing to protest, but she cut them off. "We don't have time for your little reunion. We need to go."

"Go where?" Jet huffed, trying to seem uninterested.

Katara looked at him, still massaging and stretching the muscles around her wound. The pain was intense, and she could only bear to fake a small smile. "...we're going to Bhang Chi."

"The capitol. Wait-" Jet's eyes widened. "Isn't that west of here?"

Mai nodded, and Jet stood up quickly. Zuko tensed, as if preparing for a fight, but Jet simply looked at Katara and Sokka in concern. "You can't go that way," He shook his head, "There's some sort of animal out there that keeps paralyzing people, leaving them to die in the heat or be eaten by predators."

Mai looked up suddenly. "What kind of animal?" Her voice was more insistent than normal, which made Zuko's eyes narrow.

Jet raised his hands. "Hey, all I know is that the people who leave and go west don't come back. It's been that way for the last few months."

If this was supposed to comfort Mai, it did the exact opposite. Her eyes widened even further at his words and she whirled around, much more frantic than Zuko had ever seen her. "We need to go," She pushed by Zuko toward the door. "Now!"

"Wait, Mai…" Katara grabbed her arm as she passed. "We can't just learn that Jet's alive and then leave! We already know him, and he just admitted he's been a part of this rebellion for a year! He might have valuable information!"

Mai stared at Katara for a few moments before nodding. "You're right," She turned back to face Jet. "You're coming with us. Let's go."

"Um, what?" Jet looked at Katara in confusion before shaking his head, backing up a few steps. "I'm not going with you anywhere, especially not west. Do you think I'm stupid? You might want to run headfirst into your own death, but I don't!"

Mai's eyebrows furrowed. "What are you going to do then," She snapped. "Stay in the town full of rebels that you just betrayed?"

Jet blinked as if he hadn't thought of this. "Well, no one but Shih knew that this place existed, so they won't find me here."

Toph snorted, leaning against a wall. "What, so you're going to force this guy to take care of a traitor and risk his life for you?"

Jet looked hesitantly at the man, who just put his hands up. "I really don't want to be a part of this conversation…" he said meekly.

Mai bared her teeth. "This isn't a conversation," She snarled. "And I'm not asking. You're coming with us. NOW. It's up to you whether you come willingly or not."

Jet laid his hand on the hilt of his sword, but looked slightly amused. "Under what authority do you think -" He began, but he stopped quickly. He was thrown back a few feet, pinned against the wall by knives that had caught his clothing. He looked up at Mai in disbelief.

"I think I'm the fucking governer," Mai let her oustretched arm fall to her side. She had moved more quickly than most people could react. "I also think you're underestimating me."

Jet pulled himself away from the wall with some difficulty, the knives falling to the floor. "Fine. I'll go with you." He snapped. "But on one condition."

"No conditions." Mai slipped another knife out of her sleeve. "This is your last chance to come with us willingly. I would take it, if I were you."

o0o0o

"Am I allowed to ask why we're going west?"

"Because I said so." Mai refused to look back as she addressed Jet, who trudged in the middle of the group.

He huffed. "What do you want me to do, walk willingly into my own death?"

Zuko resisted the urge to pull out one of his new dai blades and cut Jet's tongue out. "You should worry more about me killing you before this animal ever gets the chance." He snapped. He had a bruise on his hip from the fight, and it was beginning to ache terribly. Katara giggled beside him, and he looked over at her. "What's so funny?"

She covered her mouth. "Sorry…" she looked back at Jet before whispering, "you and I both know you would never kill him."

Zuko's mouth dropped open. "What are you talking about? I'm the Fire Lord! I've fought plenty of people!"

"Zuko, you avoid killing people on purpose. I've known you for years." Katara shook her head in amusement, looking ahead at the vast desert. "You're like a fluffy pillow with firebending."

"Did…" Zuko frowned. "Did you just call me a pillow?"

"A fluffy pillow." Katara corrected. Zuko tensed, about to defend himself, when he saw the twinkle in her eyes. She was teasing him.

He needed to stop taking everything so seriously - it was like he was allergic to friendship. He wiped the sweat from his brow. "How are you in such a good mood?" he asked, bemused. "You have a wound that's obviously painful, it's dreadfully hot out here, and today has gone terribly."

Katara raised her eyebrows. "My general strategy is to just ignore those things." She said simply, smirking. "Though, I admit, it can be pretty hard. It's easier to ignore them when you're talking with someone."

"Yeah, I understand that." Zuko blinked as a bead of sweat trickled into his eye. "Man, we really took advantage of Appa, didn't we?" He mourned, looking wistfully at the sky. The sun was about to touch the horizon, and it was beginning to cool just slightly, but not nearly enough for comfort.

"Yeah," Katara agreed, getting a drink of water. "I know Appa couldn't carry all of us, but a tiny part of me still wishes we could have figured something out. Anything but this."

Zuko looked over at her and immediately felt horrible for complaining. Her face was flushed, eyes glazed over, and her hair clung to her forehead and cheeks. She walked stiffly, and when she twisted her torso slightly to bend water from her flask, she winced. She was from the South Pole, she wasn't used to warm temperatures, much less intense heat like this. And Zuko could tell that injury was worse than she was making it seem. Who was he to complain?

"Zuko, what's wrong?"

He pulled himself back to reality, where Katara was staring at him in concern. "Um, nothing…" He replied, looking away guiltily. "I was just thinking about how it must feel hotter to you, since you're used to colder temperatures."

She huffed. "I'm just having a hard time focusing. The more I sweat, the better, because I can manipulate the temperature of water, remember? I can cool myself down that way."

Zuko hadn't thought of that, but he wasn't at all surprised. If anything, he chided himself for pitying Katara. Katara never needed pity. He was hung up on her first sentence, though. "Why can't you focus?"

Katara flushed slightly. "Oh, well, I'm still processing everything." She glanced back at Jet, who was still trying (and failing) to engage Mai in a conversation. "Agni, Zuko. I thought I saw him die. I thought I had left him to die."

"You would never do that!" Zuko protested, almost before he realized he was speaking.

Katara's lips were pressed in a thin line. "I wouldn't have, but we had to go. It wasn't safe, and we were trying to find Appa."

A look of realization dawned over Zuko. "But I had already freed him. In Ba Sing Se."

"You must have," Katara agreed, "because he wasn't there, and we never saw Jet again. The play at Ember Island showed him dying, so I just assumed…"

Zuko fiddled with his hands awkwardly. She was upset. Did he say something? Was he supposed to hug her? Hugging her might hurt her wound. It also might be very awkward. He had no idea what was appropriate to do. She was clearly feeling guilty about something. "But…" he began, struggling for the right words, "you seem upset? Why…?"

"There was a lot of damage…" Katara winced at the thought, getting another drink of water. "To this day, it's one of the worst injuries I've ever seen, besides when you and Aang were struck by lightning. I wasn't strong enough back then to heal it - at least, I couldn't heal it fast enough. But if he survived…" She shivered, hugging herself despite the heat. "I just feel like I should have stayed longer. Tried harder. Brought him with us. Something."

Zuko was about to attempt comforting Katara when a whispered shout came from the center of the group. "Everyone, stop!" Toph halted in her tracks, and everyone did the same, tensing. "There's something out there…" Toph's eyes narrowed, and Zuko could tell she didn't quite know what it was. "It's coming this way. Something running, on four legs."

"That must be the animal Jet was warning us about!" Aang's eyes narrowed. He handed his pack to Sokka, opening his glider staff and walking toward Toph.

Jet threw his hands up in the air. "We're officially screwed. I told you we shouldn't have come this way."

Mai whirled around, glaring at him intensely, and he stopped.

"Which way is it coming from?" Aang asked the Earthbender. "I'll go take a look."

"That way." Toph pointed ahead of them, slightly to the right. "You better hurry, it's coming up to us fast."

Aang nodded, taking off in his glider. Katara casually opened her water flask, and the Kyoshi warriors pulled out their various weapons. Aang circled back on his glider quickly, landing and jogging back to the group. "I know what kind of animal it is, but I forget the name…" he closed his eyes, snapping his fingers as if the word was on the tip of his tongue. "It has a tongue that paralyzes people?"

Katara's eyes narrowed. A large animal with a strange snout glinted faintly in her memory. "The thing with the weird nose that can track things by smell?" She asked, also forgetting the name.

Aang pointed at her quickly. "Yes! Zuko," he turned to his friend. "That bounty hunter who you asked for a favor a little over a year ago, she has one!"

"A shirshu!" Zuko realized, looking up. They could faintly hear the pounding of something large running toward them from the other side of the sand mound. "You're right, Aang! We know someone who had one of those. She helped us find my uncle, remember?"

Before they could say anything further, Mai burst out from within the group, running toward the noise. "Mai!" Zuko shouted after her, "what are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Jet sniffed. "She wants to get herself killed."

Mai didn't answer them. She didn't even stop running as the shirshu ploughed over the hill of sand, running toward them at full speed. They all shouted for Mai, terrified, but the animal didn't try to paralyze her. It slowed down, sniffing in her direction, and Mai stumbled through the sand to put her hand on its snout. They all stood tensely, staring at the magnificent beast that had halted only meters in front of them.

"It's okay, Nyla." Mai's voice was uncharacteristically soothing as she stroked the shirshu's snout. "It's me, Mai. Remember me? You're okay n-" Mai was cut off as the shirshu suddenly nuzzled up against her, it's legs giving out underneath it. "Oh- good girl, Nyla! You're okay…"

The group stared blankly. The animal lay in the sand like it hadn't rested in weeks, its star-shaped nose sniffing may in a way that most animals would lick their owners.

"Nyla…" Sokka frowned at Zuko. "Wasn't that the name of June's shirshu? The bounty hunter you were talking about?"

Zuko nodded, walking toward Mai tentatively. "Mai, how did you manage to…"

He trailed off, and Mai just pet the beast for a few moments in silence before answering. "She's not a bad animal," She stood in front of the shirshu in a protective manner. "She's just...lost. And confused. Shirshus are almost blind and rely on others to serve as safety like a pack." Mai stroked Nyla's snout. "They're companion animals - they rely on close relationships. If she's been out here for months…" Mai trailed off. "She must have been so afraid…"

"Well, where's June?" Zuko was beginning to feel more relaxed, especially when Nyla rolled over on her back, like a canine. "You must know her, if Nyla is so familiar with you."

Mai faced away from them, saying nothing. Zuko was about to repeat the question when he heard a gasp from behind him.

"Oh, Agni" Katara stepped forward slightly, her mouth agape. "...it was her, wasn't it? Oh, no…Mai, I'm so sorry…"

Mai met her eyes for a moment, her face screwed up in pain. "I really, don't want to...talk about it right now…" She said, stiffly turning away from them.

Katara walked over to her and asked, quietly so no one else could hear. "What do you want me to tell them? I'll make sure they give you space."

Mai stared at Nyla for a moment, thinking. "Everything."

"Okay." Katara put her good hand on Mai's shoulder. She stiffened, not used to such friendly physical contact from most people. "Just let me know if you need anything, okay?"

Mai nodded, and as Katara was turning to walk away, she said, "Wait, Katara…" The Waterbender turned to look at her, and Mai met her eyes gratefully. "Thank you."

Zuko grumbled to himself as Katara walked away from Mai. "Why do YOU get to know what's going on and I don't?"

Katara stopped walking, staring at him in bewilderment before folding her arms. "Stop acting like a child." She snapped, continuing past him.

Zuko's mouth dropped open. He turned to follow her, protesting, "I'm not acting like a child! I just have a right to know what's going on! And I don't understand why she explained herself to YOU but -"

Katara cut him off. "She had already told me. She just wants some space, and she was giving me permission to tell you all about it."

Zuko felt like his head was going to explode. "But -" His mouth felt like it was twisted in knots. "But why did the...you two - why? You two never, before, why now?" He closed his eyes. Words, Zuko. "Why after never really associating with each other, would she tell you about something that makes her so upset?"

Katara whirled around, stabbing her finger into his chest. "I told you!" She whispered fiendishly. "She and I talked for a bit! We've been over this already! Now will you show some compassion!"

Zuko's eyebrows raised. "Compassion for what? Nyla? I mean, it's sad she's lost, but I'm sure she'll be fine once we return her to June. She's probably been looking for her, anyway. There's no way she can hunt as efficiently without a shir-"

Mai's voice cut through the dusty air, as quick and sharp as one of her knives. "June is dead, Zuko."

He turned to face her, completely shocked. He hadn't realized he had been loud enough to hear her.

As if she had read his mind, Mai added, "You never really knew how to whisper." She still wasn't facing them, but she was more tense than before.

"What?" Zuko's mind felt like a tornado. June is dead. "How do you know? What happened?"

Mai glanced back, not to meet Zuko's eyes, but to meet Katara's. He stood in utter bewilderment as the waterbender nodded intently, understanding so much from so little. Mai turned away again, kneeling beside the shirshu, still petting it.

Katara faced the rest of the group. "This is a good place to stop for the night!" She declared. Zuko blinked in surprise. "Let's unpack and set up camp. We have high ground on this mound, and the sand is more compact, making it easier for Toph to detect any movement. We know people are avoiding this area due to Nyla, so there probably won't be any visitors. There's also an oasis down there for us to clean up and refresh." Katara pointed down the hill at what looked to be a small pond.

Zuko felt uneasy about this. It wasn't a part of his plan. "Katara, are you sure? If people are following us -"

"We'll be fine, Zuko." she interrupted, glaring at him in a way that clearly said stop arguing with me or else.

"How do you even know that's an actual oasis? It could just be a mirage! A trick of the light!" Zuko continued to protest, pointing down at the shimmering pond glinting in the distance.

Katara turned to face him fully, moving to cross her arms across her chest but stopping when it caused a jolt of pain. "Well, it helps to know that I didn't find it by looking for it. I felt it, because I'm a Waterbender."

Zuko muttered to himself, but said nothing, moving to help Sokka with one of the tents. He looked over at Mai in concern, but his view was cut off as Katara helped Toph set up their tent right there. He glanced up at her and barely caught a flash of brilliant blue as she looked away.

She was shielding Mai on purpose.

It didn't take long for them to set up camp - they were all used to traveling like this, even the Kyoshi warriors. Their tents were in a circle, and Zuko finished the fire pit in the middle, lighting it. He stood up, brushing off his hands, and began to head toward Mai. She hadn't moved since they had started, and he was starting to become seriously concerned.

"No." He felt a hand on his chest, blocking him, and a whispering voice. "Give her some space, she needs to be alone right now."

Zuko scowled. "You think I'm just going to let her be out there alone, in the dark? I don't even know what's going on!"

"I can explain." Katara ushered him back toward the fire. "Just...trust me."

They sat in between Aang and Suki, and everyone quieted down at the seriousness on Zuko and Katara's faces. "Do you know what's wrong with Mai?" Nasoki asked anxiously, looking back toward Nyla. "I've never seen her act like this before."

"Look, she doesn't want to talk about it…" Katara began. The soup, which hung in a small pot over the fire, began to mix together as she bent it. "She's okay with me telling all of you, but please don't bring it up to her. I think it's still a bit raw."

Aang looked at Katara, his eyes large. "But she talked to you about it?" He sounded disbelieving, and Zuko was relieved he wasn't the only one that was surprised at the idea.

"Yes." Katara didn't bother explaining any further. She paused to bend the soup into small bowls. It took a bit longer than usual, since she didn't have the full movement of both arms, but it still only took a few minutes. Once they had passed them around the circle and Katara had made sure everyone got one, she began speaking again. "I didn't realize she was talking about June, but Mai mentioned that when she left the capitol a year ago, she didn't actually go home. She stopped in one of the villages and met a woman, and she just traveled around with her, instead."

Zuko nodded. "And that was June?"

"Yes." Katara was warming her hands on her soup bowl, which was still steaming hot. "She didn't tell me a lot of details, but apparently June really helped her loosen up a bit and learn how to advocate for herself more. But she was murdered a few months ago."

Gasps echoed from around the fire, and Zuko felt a strange feeling wash over him. He set his soup down, no longer hungry. "Who did it?" He asked in a low voice.

Katara shook her head. "I don't know. All Mai said was that he was dead. I'm pretty sure she…" Katara cleared her throat, and Zuko looked back at where he knew Mai sat in the shadows, stunned. "Anyways, that's why she's only been back with her parents for a few months."

Aang shook his head in shock. "You really think she killed those guys? Even if they murdered June, that feels…"

"It's not what you would do." Katara interrupted. "I know. But June wasn't…" She hesitated, glancing up at Zuko awkwardly before continuing. "June wasn't just a friend."

Sokka swallowed some of his soup. "What, was Mai helping her with bounties?"

"No." Katara paused. "I mean, probably, but that's not what I meant."

Zuko stared at her in confusion for a few moments before it dawned on him, his eyes widening. He stared at Katara in understanding. "They were…"

"...together." Katara finished, nodding.

"Well, no wonder she was so eager to come out here." Jet drank the last of his soup from the bowl. "If that thing is her girlfriend's pet, it's probably one of the only things she has left of her."

Suki turned to him, glaring. "Do you have to be so damn morbid?"

"What?" Jet chewed his vegetables loudly. "Am I wrong?"

They all sat in silence awkwardly. Katara finally took a sip of her soup, which was barely warm anymore, and she shivered. Zuko, who was staring into the fire, didn't look at her when he asked, "why did she tell you?"

Katara frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean...why did she talk to you and not me?" Zuko crossed his legs, sitting his untouched soup down in front of him. The others began to talk amongst themselves, as well. "I've known her the longest - besides Ty Lee. And I guess Nasoki. She knows I care about her. Why wouldn't she tell me about something like that? And why would she tell you, of all people?"

Katara set down her soup. She had been annoyed at first that he kept asking her this question, but once she stopped to think, she didn't blame him for being so stuck on it. "I don't know." She admitted, pulling some water out of her flask and doing another healing session. "She didn't walk up to me and start talking about her feelings. She came up to me and asked about you."

Zuko looked over at Katara, not even phased by the glowing water she held to her chest and shoulder. "What? Why?"

She looked at him in disbelief. "Why?" She repeated, staring at him for a moment before her face hardened. "Why? Because you're a mess, that's why!" She snapped, crossing her legs so that she could sit up straighter. "You hardly ever sleep, you look like a dead man walking, you don't act like yourself, you're irrational, and you're being a complete dumbass by trying to avoid people's help."

Zuko stared at her. It was strange to see Katara rant so angrily while she healed herself. She had slipped her shoulder out of her top and her collarbone was completely exposed. A bright pink, indented gash marred her otherwise glowing skin. Zuko refused to believe that he looked so terrible. Katara's day had been terrible, and she still looked amazing. He couldn't look like that much of a mess, right? No, she was just exaggerating. "It's not that bad-" Zuko began to protest, but Katara cut him off.

"Would you be concerned if I was acting like that?" She pointed at herself. "If I acted the way you've been recently. Or if Aang started acting that way?"

Zuko didn't answer because he didn't want to admit she had a point. "Still," he protested, "Why did she talk to you, out of all of us, about June?"

Katara hugged her knees to her chest. "I don't know, Zuko. Maybe she wanted to talk to someone who doesn't know her very well. Maybe she wanted to tell you but she didn't want things to be awkward."

Zuko blinked. "Awkward? Oh...because we dated…"

Katara's eyebrows arched. "What, did you forget or something?"

"Honestly?" Zuko leaned back on his forearms, looking at the sky. The stars were beginning to come out. "I did kinda forget. I guess I'm more over her than I thought."

"You guys always seemed like good friends to me." Katara drew in the cool sand next to her. "Maybe you could try to talk to her tomorrow."

"Maybe."

Most of the others had bid one another goodnight and retreated to their tents. Aang sat outside of his tent, meditating, and Sokka's head rested in Suki's lap outside of their tent. Zuko and Katara were on the other side of the campfire.

Katara shivered slightly, and Zuko narrowed his eyes. "Are you cold?"

"I'm fine."

"It's no big deal, I can warm you-"

"No," Katara shook her head. "Zuko, I'm trying to practice temperature fluctuation with my bending more. If I can warm the moisture in the air around me, then maybe I can warm myself. It's an important skill I should have, especially since I'm from the Southern Water Tribe, but also in general." She closed her eyes. "I've been making progress with my bending lately, but there's a few things I'm still struggling with. I have to keep training-"

"Katara." Zuko interrupted her in a chiding voice. "No."

She held her arms loosely, which were covered in goosebumps. "What do you mean, no?"

"You don't need to be working or training every second of every day." Zuko looked back up at the stars. They were brighter now, and he could see a sliver of the moon hovering in the sky. "You can work on that still another day. Right now, you deserve some peace and rest. It takes about as much concentration for me to warm my surroundings as it does for me to walk, or breathe. It's okay."

Katara was about to protest, but she could tell that he had done it anyway, since a wave of warmth washed over her, and the uncomfortable bite of the chilly air was whisked away. "Fine." She relented, laying back in the sand next to him. "But this doesn't mean you won."

Zuko chuckled for a few moments before whispering, "Yes, it does."

They laid there silently as the last of the sunlight faded, leaving the night sky and flickering campfire as their only sources of light. Katara felt much more at peace than she usually did - she wasn't even trying to meditate, but this was the most meditative state she had ever been in.

Zuko's voice made her entire body jump. "Isn't it crazy how it was so unbearably hot during the day, but it still becomes so cool at night?"

Katara thought for a moment. "Well, the sunlight is hot, isn't it? And the sand gets hot with it. But the moon isn't hot, since it's not on fire, so the sand becomes cool."

"That makes sense." Zuko turned his head to face her. She was staring up at the sky, and the tiny crescent of the moon reflected back to him in both of her eyes. It was right for a Waterbender to look so peaceful under the moon. Her eyes were moving around the sky, looking at different stars, and he just watched them slide back and forth. It was almost like they were glowing in the dark, illuminated from within, like the water she healed with. But Katara's eyes couldn't really glow. It was just a trick of the light, of course. Since she was staring at the sky, which was so beautiful.

"Is something wrong?"

Zuko blinked, realizing that she had turned to face him, and the eyes he had been staring into were narrowed in concern. "What?" he asked faintly, his brain moving slower than usual.

"You were staring at me. Is everything okay?" Katara gasped, sitting up and putting a hand to her cheek. "Do I have soup on my face?"

"No, no!" Zuko reached toward her quickly, but he stopped a few inches from her. His hand hovered in the air next to her face, where her hand still rested on her cheek, and it stayed there for a few seconds before he retreated. "I, um, I just was…"

Katara settled back down into the sand curiously, and Zuko hoped she couldn't see him blushing. "I just, um...your eyes look nice at night."

Katara stared at him blankly. "They look nice?"

"Well, they always look nice!" Zuko added, feeling a strong urge to bury himself in the sand. "But they look, uh, extra nice! During the night! Yes," He nodded to himself, as if this explanation passed his own inspection. "Yes. They look extra nice."

"Why do you think they look 'extra nice' during the night?" Katara asked innocently, laying on her side. She rested her face on her arm and stared at him expectantly.

"Um…" Think, Zuko! Think! "It's probably because the moon is paired with the ocean, right? And the ocean is blue, like your eyes! And you're a Waterbender! So when it's nighttime, your eyes are even more pretty than normal, just like your bending is more stronger than normal. But your eyes look pretty all the time, just like your bending looks pretty all the time." Zuko finished. His eyes widened, and he quickly added. "I mean, your bending is powerful all the time! I mean, it's pretty too, but your bending isn't just powerful, at, um...during the night. And...yeah." Zuko finished lamely. He thanked Agni that Sokka couldn't hear him right now.

Katara's eyes twinkled. He was waiting for her to laugh at him, but she simply turned to lay on her back, staring back up at the sky again. "I guess that makes sense. It explains why your eyes look so amazing in daylight."

It took Zuko about three times as long as it should have to process what she had said. "What do you mean, my eyes look...amazing? In daylight?" He spluttered. "My eyes are just brown!"

Katara raised her eyebrows at him. "Your eyes are gold, Zuko. And when the light hits them just right…" Katara gestured with her hands, a look of pure concentration on her face, "they look like they're on fire."

Zuko pursed his lips. "Are you messing with me? Because I wasn't joking with you."

"Of course not!" Katara hit his arm. "Why would I mess with you like that?"

"I've never seen my eyes do that!"

Katara stared at him for a moment before throwing her head back into the sand, laughing hysterically. Zuko glared at her. "Hey, what's so funny?"

"You've never…" Katara swallowed a giggle. "You've never seen your eyes look like that? Zuko, how do you…" She trailed off, cackling. "How do you see your own eyes?"

Zuko sat up, folding his arms as she sat up, bending over in laughter. "It's called a mirror, dumbass." he sniffed.

"Oh, okay." Katara winked at him, clearly not buying it. "Do you stare at yourself in the mirror, moving around in order to catch the light at just the right angle so that your eyes are lit up?"

Zuko didn't respond, because of course he didn't do that. "Okay, fine." He relented, putting his hands up. "I give up, you win."

"Yes!" Katara punched her fist in the air in glory. "We're tied! It's one for one!"

"Let's settle this." Zuko smirked. "Let's see who can name the most star patterns."

A dark, intimidating look passed over Katara's face, and she smiled back at him. "Oh, you're on! And you're going down!"

Zuko laughed as they laid back down in the sand. "I wouldn't get too cocky just yet, Waterbender!"

They never finished the game, since they both fell asleep after half an hour. It was ironic, however, that as the points stood, they were still tied.

o0o0o

Sokka slipped out of his tent. It was the middle of the night, and he couldn't sleep. He had been laying next to Suki, listening to her breathe peacefully in her sleep, for over three hours. He knew this because he heard the quiet voice of Aang, who had taken first watch, waking up Toph for her shift. And that was at least a half an hour ago.

He closed the tent flap behind him, careful not to make a sound. He paused for a moment to stare at Suki's peaceful face, snuggled into the pillow. He then closed and latched the tent, turning around to face the campfire.

He wasn't surprised to see that Katara and Zuko were still out here, but he was surprised that they were sleeping. When he and Suki had retired to their tent, Zuko and Katara had been in the middle of what seemed to be a competition. Or a debate. When they went silent, Sokka had assumed they had gone to their own tents, but they must have fallen asleep while talking. He was almost certain they hadn't been that close when he had left…he squinted at the indents in the sand. It looked like Katara had rolled toward Zuko. He was only standing a few feet away, and he realized that his legs were much warmer than his torso.

Of course. Sokka smirked, shaking his head in amusement. Zuko becomes a human furnace. No wonder Katara's rolling closer to him.

He tiptoed around them quietly, pausing at the last tent. Toph would be inside, knowing every move he made. Would she wake the others up?

He stood there for a few moments, debating how to handle the situation, when a harsh whisper floated out of the tent. "I don't care what you're doing, Snoozles, just stay in camp and don't kill anything."

Sokka sighed in relief, nodding. He moved past the tent. On the other side of Toph's tent was the sleeping Shishu, which snored in a low, rumbling growl. It was outside the camp circle, so the light of the campfire was much darker. Most of the animal was covered in darkness from the shadows of the tents. Sokka squinted, trying to let his eyes adjust to the light, and he stepped forward a few feet before bumping into something.

"Ow."

Okay, not something. Someone.

"Sorry!" he said quickly, jumping back. He could see well enough to make out Mai's outline - she was sitting against Nyla, holding a few things in her lap. "I'm really sorry, I didn't see you."

"Relax, I'm not a baby." Mai looked away from him.

Sokka stood there awkwardly for a few moments before asking, "May I sit?"

Mai shrugged. "I'm not going to stop you."

Sokka sat down next to her a bit too close for comfort, so he awkwardly scooted away. "So, um, how have you been!" he asked conversationally, not sure where to put his hands. He settled with laying them in his lap.

Mai looked up at him, her eyebrows hitched slightly. "Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"What? No, of course not!" Sokka struggled to find the right words. "I mean, I'm just asking how you are! You know, when people greet each other they say 'hello' and 'how are y-"

"Why are you here."

Sokka fiddled with his hands. "Well, Katara said you wanted to be alone, and -"

"Katara seems pretty smart." Mai leaned back against Nyla, staring up at the sky. "I do want to be left alone. And you knew that and bothered me anyway. Wow."

"No!" Sokka stared at her, aghast. "I mean, yes, but I didn't just come to bother you!"

"What did you come to do then?" Mai sniffed, pulling something out of a sack beside her and taking a bite out of it. Sokka frowned in confusion before getting a whiff of what she was eating.

"Is that...jerky?"

Mai eyed him suspiciously. "What's it to you?"

"Nothing!" Sokka carefully leaned back against the Shirshu as well, and was extremely relieved when Nyla didn't move. "Nothing, I just love jerky."

"Here."

Sokka blinked as she handed him a piece. "Oh! Um, thank you."

"Just tell me what you want." Her voice was tired and even more gravelly than usual.

Sokka followed her gaze up to the sky. The moon was only a sliver tonight, but it still outshone all of the stars. "I felt like I had to talk to you. Since you're the first person I've met who...I don't know, might understand."

Mai looked over at him, and for once, she wasn't glaring. "Understand what?"

"Losing someone." Sokka eyes were glazed over. "Not just anyone, I mean, someone who you care about a lot."

"Didn't you lose your mom?"

Sokka blinked, tearing his eyes away from the sky to look at Mai. "Uh, yeah? What does that have to do with anything?"

She raised her eyebrows. "Well, you cared about her. And Katara would understand, wouldn't she?"

"I'm not explaining this well." Sokka took a deep breath before trying again. "You're the first person I've met who might understand what it's like to lose…" He hesitated. "...someone you cared for in a different way."

Mai frowned. "You mean, someone you love? I thought you were dating Suki?"

"Oh, I am!" Sokka assured her, smiling slightly. "But before that, I lost someone. And I haven't had the chance to talk about it with a person who understands the feeling of watching someone who means so much to you, who makes you feel like a whole new person, just...fade away."

They sat there in silence for a few minutes before Mai asked. "Who was it?"

Sokka closed his eyes. "Her name was Yue. Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe."

"Did you love her?"

"What?" Sokka was caught off guard.

Mai looked at him steadily. "Did you love her?"

Sokka thought for a moment, staring up at the tiny sliver of the moon they could see that night. "I might have, if I had known her for more than a week." The words were bitter in his mouth, and once they were out in the open, they stung. "But I guess I'll never know. You can't fall in love in a week, can you?"

Mai shrugged, looking back up at the sky. "Did you feel like you loved her? At the time?"

Sokka snorted. "I was fifteen. She was the first girl I had ever met who gave me the time of day, and I was head over heels with her. I thought…" He shook his head. "I don't know."

Mai didn't react to anything he said. She just responded, saying, "How did she die?"

Stab.

"Well, she didn't exactly." Sokka looked at his hands. He couldn't look at the sky while talking about it. "She...she was saved by the Moon spirit as a baby, and when the Northern Water Tribe was invaded, Zhao came and killed the spirit."

Mai sat up a bit. "Zhao...wait, so, this was before the war ended?"

Sokka nodded. "It was while Zuko was still hunting Aang. It was before everything happened, really. It was before everything in Ba Sing Se, too."

Mai sat back again, thinking. "Huh. So, what happened?"

Sokka drew patterns in the cool sand in front of him. "Well, she um…" His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat before continuing. "She sacrificed herself, to give her life back to the moon spirit."

"So…" Mai looked up at the silver crescent dangling above them. "Is she a spirit too, now?"

"Yes." Sokka kept his eyes on the sand. "But I only saw her right after she…"

Stab.

"...right after she just disappeared, right from my arms. We didn't even have a body to bury." Sokka felt an uncomfortable lump begin to tug at his throat. "She chose to do it, I know...but she shouldn't have had to! If we had just stopped Zhao…"

Mai sat forward, sighing. "You're stuck in your guilt, too, huh?"

Sokka shook his head, his eyes squeezed shut as if it would keep the pain out. "It was my job to protect her during that raid, and I failed. She died."

"You just said it was her choice." Mai said matter-of-factly. "Do you regret meeting her?"

Stab.

"Of course not!" Sokka protested, prinkling at the very thought.

Mai folded her arms. "Don't think about what you should have done, then. Be happy about what you got to do with-" She stiffened, her eyes widening for a moment before she fell back against Nyla. "Agni, I sound like such a hypocrite."

Sokka looked over at her, startled at how depressed she suddenly looked. "What do you mean?"

Mai put her head in her hands. "There were these guys that were after June's bounty list, and whenever we ran across them, they gave us trouble."

Sokka wracked his brain, but came up empty. "What's a bounty list?"

"It's a record of all the bounties you've collected." Mai explained, fidgeting with one of her knives. "The longer the list, the more your service is worth. Hunters can exchange lists with one another." She took a swig of water. "It's all about honor, you know, since most hunters come from the Fire Nation. You don't give your list to someone unless they deserve it. Or they give you something worthy in return."

Sokka nodded. "So, these guys were just trying to get her list?"

"Yep." Mai took another drink before swallowing, and when she winced slightly at the taste, Sokka realized she wasn't drinking water. "They found out I was the governor's daughter, and…" She took a shaky breath, "They didn't know where June kept the list, since hunters keep it in the most secure place they can. So they drugged me and took me while we were sleeping. I woke up in this box, pitch black, all curled up." Mai chuckled coldly, not a hint of humor in her tone. "They told her that if she didn't give them her list, they were going to kill me. And they'd blame it on her."

Sokka didn't know what to say. What could he say? "That's…" he struggled to find the right words. "...absolutely disgusting."

Mai nodded. She just stared at the knife in her hand, which she casually flipped up in the air. "June came, and she gave them the list. And I heard her, I heard her begging them to let me go…" She paused her knife throwing, looking up and blinking rapidly. Her voice cracked when she continued. "And, um, they killed her anyway."

Sokka felt his own anger rising. "How did you escape?"

"I didn't." Mai spat the words out of her mouth. "They only let me live because they didn't want to chance my father finding out they were involved."

They sat in silence. "I'm so sorry, Mai-"

"They should have just killed me."

Sokka looked up at her in dismay. "What? Don't say that!" His face hardened. "Don't say that!" He repeated more harshly. Mai shook her head at him as if he didn't understand.

"They thought they did themselves a favor by keeping me alive." She huffed. "But I found them. I found them, and I killed them. I killed them all." She snarled, her hand clenching around the knife she was holding. Sokka swallowed. "And I don't feel sorry. I don't regret it. I would do it again, and I would do it slower. I would look into their eyes and make them beg the way they made her beg. The way I heard her beg for them to let me go before they SLAUGHTERED her."

She stopped, panting slightly, and her shoulders dropped suddenly. "She was there to save me," She croaked, dropping her knife. She didn't seem to notice as it slid off her leg and fell into the sand. "I should have just gone straight home from the capitol. If we had never met, she would still be alive."

Mai looked up at him, her eyes glimmering with tears she tried to suppress. Her eyes were so full of pain, but also hollow in a way that Sokka understood. She had such guilt, such grief, and such rage that it felt like it was consuming her alive, a disease eating her from the inside out. Sokka had been there once, too. If he was honest with himself, he was still there. He was just numb.

Sokka reached out hesitantly, putting his hand on Mai's arm. "You're right." He smiled softly. "You are a hypocrite."

Mai blinked, processing what he had said before shoving his arm away. "Shut the fuck up." She mumbled halfheartedly.

Sokka chuckled to himself, looking back up at the sky. "Did you recover her list?"

"Yeah."

"Who are you going to give it to? Now that you're governor?"

"I don't know." Mai sighed, pulling out another piece of jerky for herself. Sokka looked over at her pleadingly and she reluctantly handed him a piece as well. "I'm thinking about keeping it." She said before taking a bite, tearing off a chunk.

Sokka took his own bite. "You'd be a good bounty hunter." He said through his chewing. "With your knife throwing, and now you have Nyla."

Mai chuckled to herself. "June taught me how to use a whip, too. I'm pretty good at it."

"Maybe I could teach you how to use a boomerang." Sokka suggested.

Mai raised her eyebrows at him. "That sounds like a waste of time."

Sokka's mouth fell open in offense, and thankfully he wasn't in the middle of chewing any jerky. "Let's make a deal." He suggested, sitting up straighter. "I'll teach you how to use a boomerang, and you can teach me how to throw knives!"

Mai thought about it for a moment, and she nodded once. Before Sokka could celebrate, she held up her hand. "Only if you teach me a bit about sword fighting." She added.

Sokka smiled widely. "You've got yourself a deal!"

o0o0o

Zuko was dreaming about something nice when he was rudely interrupted. A dream with a girl in it, but he didn't see who it was. He could only see her eyes, and they were bright blue. They lit up link Aang's, when he went into the Avatar state, and then-

Sand blew into his face. Zuko coughed, trying to blow the sand out of his nose. He spat it out of his mouth and blinked aggressively as his eyes watered, trying to fight the invasion of the tiny particles. He sat up groggily, croaking loudly. "What the FUCK!"

"Oh, sorry, Zuko!" Sokka called from a few feet away, where he was dismantling his and Suki's tent. "I didn't think knocking down the tent would do that!"

"Well, it did!" Zuko snapped, rubbing his eyes. This only pushed the sand further into them, which was even more painful. "Shit!" he pulled his hands away from his face.

"Zuko, are you okay?"

When he turned and looked for Katara where she had been the night before, a foot or so away from him, he was surprised to see her (barely) right next to him. He blinked, but his vision remained stubbornly blurry, just as his eyes kept on stinging.

The fuzzy blob that was Katara sat up, and Zuko could suddenly feel that she was right next to him as her shoulder brushed past his. "Zuko," she put a hand on his forearm. "Are you okay? Your eyes are super red…"

"Your idiot brother blew sand into his face." Suko called from behind them.

Katara took a moment to glare at Sokka's back before looking around for her flask. It was a few feet away, so she just bent the water inside it toward her, and it came flying into her lap.

Zuko couldn't see what Katara was doing, and he was too busy trying to aggressively blink his eyes to notice when she coated her fingers with water. She gently grabbed his jaw, making him completely freeze. "Hold still." she commanded, turning his head toward her slightly. She stood up on her knees in order to see into his eyes, concentrating as she dipped the water into his right eye, and -

"Ah!" Zuko jerked away as if she had burned him. She scowled, reaching her hand around the base of his neck and pulling him closer to her. "Katara, what are you doing?"

"Healing your eyes, you damn idiot." She snipped, struggling to find a good angle. It was hard to heal his right eye when she was kneeling on his left side. Muttering to herself, Katara moved so that his leg was between her knees. That was much better. "Now hold still and stop being such a baby. Water isn't going to hurt your eyes. It might be a little uncomfortable, but you can handle it."

Zuko might have protested in a typical circumstance, but he was a bit distracted by the fact that Katara was straddling his leg. The water felt unnatural in his eye, but he didn't pull away this time. Not that he could have, with Katara's firm grip on the back of his head.

He was still completely shocked at the closeness of their proximity, especially the casualness, when Katara's healing lit up the water. The sudden brightness in his eye made him jump slightly, and Katara paused. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Zuko replied stiffly. "You just, um, the glow was bright. In my eye."

"Oh." Katara shifted her weight a bit. Zuko was certain that his cheeks must be bright red. "Okay." She placed the glowing water back into his eye, and since he was ready for it this time, Zuko didn't jump. It only took a few seconds for his eye to clear up, and Zuko blinked, the right side of his vision becoming clear.

A sudden thought occurred to Zuko. "Does this hurt your wound?" He asked anxiously. Katara blinked as if she hadn't thought about it.

"It's a little but sore, but it doesn't look like these movements hurt as much as they did before." Katara smiled at him. "My healing session last night combined with a lot of rest must have helped a lot!"

Zuko smiled back at her. "That's great!" he reached up and rested his hand on her good shoulder.

"Ew." They both looked over at Sokka, who had only just turned around and seen them. He was holding a hand in front of his eyes as if they were blinding him. "Katara, I don't want to see this. Can you get off of him, please?"

Zuko suddenly was brought back to where they were, painfully aware of Katara's legs on either side of his thigh. His face flushed intensely and he refused to look at Sokka.

Katara, however, didn't seem fazed by the comment. "You're the one that blew sand in his eyes!" She snapped, filtering the tiny particles out of her healing water so it was purified. "You don't get to complain when I'm healing him!"

Sokka turned away, mocking Katara under his breath. Her attention returned to Zuko, shaking her head slightly. "Okay, one more time, then we're done." She nodded to him, and he nodded once back to her. Zuko pretended not to notice the part of him that was disappointed it was almost over.

It was strange to feel someone touch his scar. The blue light glowed, and Zuko thought back to the last time someone touched his scar. Who was the last to touch his…

"This is the first time anyone has touched my scar since the last time you touched it." He stated absentmindedly. Katara finished healing his eye, and he blinked, his vision fully restored. He also realized what he had said and cleared his throat, adding, "I mean, it's not a big deal, haha, it's just-"

"Really?" Katara's eyes widened in surprise. "Why don't you let people touch it?"

Zuko shrugged. "I don't know, it just doesn't feel like something people should touch."

Katara frowned, putting the water back in her flask and getting off of him. "Then why do you let me touch it? You let me touch it before, and we had been enemies for months."

Zuko hesitated. "I guess…" that was a good question. "...I guess it's different when someone is trying to help you."

Katara thought about this for a moment before smiling at him. Her eyes were still crinkled with sleep, since they had both just woken up, and her hair was sticking out everywhere. It was frizzy, messy, covered in sand, and Zuko wanted to touch it so badly.

He didn't really think much when Katara reached out to him, but when her hands rested on both sides of his face, he fell into rapt attention. She looked at him intently for a moment before running her thumb gently underneath his eye.

He could barely feel it, like a whisper, across his scarred skin, but it sent a shiver down his spine. She did it again, and he felt a shudder in his chest, closing his eyes. No one had touched him so gently, so lovingly...no one except his mother. Much less on the part of him that felt ugly and shameful. He felt her begin to withdraw, and he closed his eyes tighter, not wanting it to end.

He opened his eyes and saw that she was smiling to herself as if she had just won a prize. Zuko cocked his head. "What was, um…" His voice was thin, so he cleared his throat. "What was that about?"

"Nothing!" Katara smiled at him innocently. "You just said that you let me touch your scar because I was going to help you, but you let me touch it just now. For no reason."

Zuko could see the glimmer of satisfaction and pride in Katara's eyes, and he thought about arguing. He thought about saying that made me feel things I thought weren't possible, so HA, you DID help me. But that would be strange, so he simply relented. Then, like every brave man did in the face of a determined woman, he changed the subject. "You have sand in your hair."

"Where?" Katara's hand flew to the top of her head.

Zuko's heart thundered in his chest. And in his ears. And in his throat. And in his stomach. Why was this what he brought up? "Here." He reached out his own hand and brushed some sand out of Katara's hair, letting it cascade to the ground. He did the same to the other side of her hair, baffled how it was so soft despite being unwashed and unbrushed. When he was done, he didn't want to pull away.

Katara stared at him, holding her breath. He was brushing the sand out of her hair in the most thorough way possible...which was only a matter of habit, of course. Not the hair brushing - the thoroughness. Every Fire Lord must be thorough, right?

But Katara felt nearly knocked out of her body when Zuko paused, about to pull away. He stared at her for a few moments, and Katara stared back, and it felt like they were in the middle of an intense battle. One where they couldn't give in, but they also couldn't look away. Zuko finally reached forward again and tucked her hair behind her ear gently. Katara felt the hair on her arms stand up.

"What is this, Boiling Rock?"

Katara and Zuko jumped, snapping their gazes away from each other and whirling around. Toph stood behind them, hands on her hips. "I could cook myself alive in the tension steaming off of you two." She huffed. "Get a room. Or a tent."

Katara and Zuko both stood up quickly, stepping away from each other. "So, what do you need, Toph!" Katara asked breathlessly, Toph's words making her blush.

"I need you to pack your things." Toph pointed. "Both of you. I can feel a group of people coming from the direction of Chan Lin."

Zuko cursed, his embarrassment forgotten. "The rebels." His voice was grave. Katara's face hardened and she bared her teeth angrily.

Toph just nodded. "It's a lot of them, and they can't go at a fast pace in the heat of day, so we have a chance of making it to Bhang Chi before they catch up to us."

"Got it." Katara turned to Zuko. "I never unpacked my things, did you?"

Zuko shook his head. "No."

Katara let out a breath of relief. "Good, so that's already done."

"Wow, do you want a medal?" Toph pointed back at them as she walked away. "Get moving!"

Katara glared after her before turning back to Zuko. "I'm going to run and fill as many empty containers with water as I can from that oasis," Katara pointed down the sand hill. "If we can stay hydrated, we can move faster."

Zuko glanced down at the small pond. "Good thinking." He looked around at the camp, which was only about halfway dismantled. "I'll help everyone pack up."

Katara nodded quickly before taking off down the hill, kicking up sand in her wake.

Zuko ran over to Suki, who was carrying the frame of her tent. "Where are you taking that?" He asked in confusion.

Suki set the frame down, pointing toward Nyla. Mai had saddled up the large animal and was loading their tents and other supplies onto her back. "Mai says that thing can hold over twice it's own weight," Suki grunted as she picked the frame back up. "So, we're going to load all of our stuff onto it's back, which will make us -"

"-be able to walk faster." Zuko finished, grinning. "Brilliant!" He looked back at the only tent still completely untouched. "I'll go help Aang with his tent!"

"Okay!" Suki continued carrying the frame past Zuko, and the Fire Lord looked around for the Avatar.

"Aang?" He called. "Aang?" Where are you?" there was no response. Frowning, Zuko waited for a moment before saying, "Well, I'm going to take down our tent now, just so you know!" He unlatched the door to their tent, opening it, and-

He stood there for a moment, staring, before feeling a sick feeling of dread wash over him. "Oh, fuck." Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stay calm. "We are so fucked."

Sokka walked up next to him. "What's up with you?"

Zuko opened the flap wider. "See for yourself."

Sokka shrugged. "I'm not afraid of a little puke, if Aang got sick last night…" He mused, walking around Zuko. "The kid's got a weak stomach, you know?" He moved forward and peered into the tent. "Oh, shit."

Aang sat cross-legged in the center of the tiny room, hands held in a meditative stance, and the tent was lit up by his glowing eyes and tattoos. Sokka reached out and poked him, but Aang didn't do so much as to move an inch.

Sokka stood back up, his jaw clenched, and he nodded to Zuko. "You're right, we're totally fucked."


	7. Echoes of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara, Zuko and Toph try and protect Aang's body while he's in the Avatar state.
> 
> Meanwhile, Aang speaks with his past lives and delves into a few of their memories, learning new details about his people and culture that will change his entire life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! I'm glad you're still here! Of course, feel free to comment if you have any reactions, and remember this chapter is currently *unrevised*! I really hope you enjoy!

Katara had two dozen water flasks hanging from her arms as she trudged back up the sand mound, panting slightly. She was glad her shoulder had more mobility this morning, but the more she rotated her arm in its socket, the more the wound began to ache. It hurt to move her neck, too…her collarbone had to be the worst location to have taken that hit. She blew some hair out of her face.

She reached camp, frowning. Everyone was huddled around Aang's tent, which was still completely upright. Katara sat the flasks down in the sand and walked over. "What's going on?"

Sokka looked up at her, his eyes alight with desperation. "Aang's gone into the spirit world."

Katara's mouth fell open and she gasped, aghast. "What?" She pushed past them, peering into the tent to see for herself. Sure enough, Aang sat with his fists in front of him. The tattoos across his body were bright, and Katara could see light glowing faintly through his eyelids.

"We've tried waking him up," Sokka hunched down next to her, looking at Aang with frustration. "He won't. He must be really busy, or really far away."

"We don't have time for this." Mai stood behind them, folding her arms across her chest. "Those rebels are coming. We need to get to Bhang Chi. Let's just put him on Nyla's back and get moving."

Katara shook her head. "I wish it were that simple," She backed out of the tent, standing up and facing her friends. "But we can't move Aang while he's in the spirit world, otherwise he might not be able to find his body and return to it."

Mai closed her eyes, breathing for a moment before asking, "Then what are we supposed to do?"

Sokka narrowed his eyes. He nodded to himself, making up his mind, and looked up at Mai. "Zuko and Toph can stay with Aang. They're used to fighting together and their elements are stronger in the desert. Suki, how many Kyoshi warriors are here? Besides you."

His girlfriend blinked. "Um, twelve, I think…"

"Okay, so…" Sokka thought for a moment. "We don't know if rebels have entered the city yet, so most of them better come with us. Suki, can you assign four of your warriors to stay behind with Zuko and Toph?"

"Absolutely!" Suki nodded, smiling slightly. She jogged off, and Sokka continued.

"Suki, Katara, and I will go with Mai to Bhang Chi-"

"No!"

Sokka blinked at Katara. "What?"

She put her hands on her hips. "I'm not leaving Aang!"

Sokka shrugged. "Suit yourself." He thought for a moment. "Okay, so that's three of you plus four Kyoshi warriors protecting Aang. We'll go to Bhang Chi, make Mai's governance known and official, and come back with reinforcements to get you guys."

Zuko stroked his chin. "That's actually a pretty good idea. Okay, I'm in!"

Sokka pumped his fist into the air and ran off to grab his things. Katara went to sort through the water flasks. Zuko frowned at her when she reached down toward them and winced, drawing her arm back. He was about to go help her when someone grabbed his arm.

"Hey, Zuko?"

He turned around, and Suki pulled back, reaching to put her hair into a bun. "Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you know which of my warriors were staying behind with you. I'm leaving Nasoki, since she's the most well equipped to lead a small group, and with her are Shena, Moyi, and Tivah. I hope that's enough."

Zuko shook his head. "That's more than enough, Suki. Thank you so much. For everything." He reached out to shake her hand, but she swatted it aside, moving forward to hug him. Zuko stood there, stiff with surprise for a moment before returning the hug.

"Hm…" Suki pulled back, thinking. "I'd say that was five out of ten. Maybe a six."

Zuko blinked. "Huh?"

"You really need to get used to hugging." She winked, reaching down beside her and picking up her pack. "Ty Lee told me once that Mai told her that you give good hugs, so I'm waiting for the day when you let us in on that gift of yours."

Zuko blushed, but noted her teasing tone. "Whatever you say, Suki."

Suki grinned at him, shoving him lightly. "That's what I like to hear!" she softened for a moment before adding, "It really is good to see you, Zuko."

"It's good to have you here after all this time too, Suki."

She shook her head. "No, I mean, it's good to see the Zuko I remember from three years ago, before we all disbanded and went our separate ways. The one who was excited about the difference he could make as Fire Lord, the Zuko who laughed and actually slept at night." Suki shook her head, nodding in thanks to Katara as she walked by and handed Suki her filled water flask. She opened it and took a sip before continuing. "We all grew up a lot in these last three years, and I think being together is reminding us how to be ourselves again."

Zuko thought for a moment. "I guess you do have a point." He conceded, though he wasn't sure how comfortable he was with returning to his youthful idealism. "I hadn't slept in almost a month when you all showed up, and it was almost too much to take. The night I fell asleep in Toph's room talking to Katara was the first time I had slept in weeks, and this last night was probably the first time I actually slept a full night for more than a year."

Suki smirked at him. "Well, in that case, maybe the cure is to just talk to Katara more."

"Talk to me more about what?"

Zuko felt his face grow hot as he turned, smiling awkwardly at Katara. "Um, nothing! We were just"

Suki interrupted him. "Zuko was just telling me how the only time he's slept in the last month was the two nights he fell asleep talking to you," She explained smoothly, a smug smile stretched across her face. "So I was just suggesting that perhaps you're the answer to all of his struggles with sleep!"

Zuko resisted the urge to glare at Toph as she laughed. She still sat outside Aang's tent, bending metal like fluid in her hands. Of course, she had been listening the whole time. "Yeah, Sweetness," She chimed in, not bothering to hide how much she was enjoying herself. "You're clearly the answer to all his problems!"

Katara repressed a smile, asking. "Can I talk to you before you leave, Suki?"

"Of course!"

Zuko watched them walk away, and he wondered…

_"You're clearly the answer to all his problems"_

He had waited for her to say, "No I'm not," or "I don't care," but she had said nothing.

Why did she say nothing?

"You're psyching yourself out, Sparky." Toph spoke from behind him, causing him to jump. She pointed to the opposite side of the tent's opening. "Sit your ass down and let me explain to you the difference between reality and a joke."

As Toph's words filtered through his mind, Zuko's heart began to beat more regularly. She hadn't responded because she knew it wasn't serious. It was just a joke. And Toph and Suki were right - talking with Katara did seem to help him fall asleep. And there's nothing wrong with your friends teasing you and encouraging you to be healthier and better.

But as Toph continued, occasionally pausing to punch him in the arm, Zuko found himself wishing that someone would come and be the answer to all his problems. He fantasized of a world where one person could alter his life so dramatically, that it could be everything he had ever wanted. But could Katara be the answer to all his problems?

Even if she happened to be, he would never ask any more from her. She was already too selfless of a person, and he was already too selfish.

Toph bent the metal in her hands into a flat disk, which she used to slap Zuko's arm.

"Ow!" He grabbed his shoulder, glaring at her. "What was that for?"

"Stop being so pathetic!" Toph snapped, pulling the metal back into a liquid state. "We can't even make jokes without you getting all sad and mopey. Seriously, what's your problem?"

Zuko looked at the sand. "I...I guess it just really bothered me when you said that Katara was the answer to all of my problems."

"Why?" Toph raised her eyebrows. "Was I wrong?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "You know I feel bad about how much Katara has done for me. How much she's still doing for me now. I just feel like I can't do anything for her." He pulled his knees up to his chest as he leaned against the tent.

Toph pointed across the campsite. "Why don't you start by cheering her up, then?"

Zuko frowned, looking up. He could barely see Katara on the other side of her tent, and when he looked closer, he saw that her body was shaking slightly. "Is she crying?"

"That's what it feels like." Toph shrugged. "I'm assuming she's crying, since most people typically don't sit and laugh by themselves in the middle of the desert."

Zuko stood, taking a deep breath. "Okay, I'll go and...okay."

"Try not to trip over yourself on the way there." Toph smirked.

Zuko shoved her playfully in the head. "You'll stay here and make sure Aang is okay?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

o0o0o

"Where are you taking me?"

Aang knew he asked a lot of questions, but he felt like questions shouldn't be annoying. Questions proved that someone was paying attention, and they showed that they were interested. How was that a bad thing?

"You don't recognize this place, Aang?"

Aang swatted at a dragon-bee that buzzed around his head. "Should I?" He asked.

"I've brought you back to my memories." Kyoshi kept her eyes straight ahead, walking down the narrow pathway. Aang pushed past some hanging vines, jogging slightly to keep up with the long strides of his past life. She ducked to avoid a tree branch before continuing. "From a time in my life, when I lived with some Air Nomads."

"Oh," Aang jumped slightly as a bird flew above them, oblivious to the two Avatars as they strode through the spirit realm. "That must have been interesting. I didn't know you ever lived with Air Nomads. What made you decide to do that?"

"A bad breakup." Kyoshi said simply. The only hint of humor was in the crickled lines around her eyes. "I thought I would get a break from all of the politics and live more simply."

Aang grinned. "That sounds like a good idea to me."

Kyoshi smiled. "Tell me, Aang. What do you know about where the Air Nomads lived?"

Aang blinked, taken aback at the question. "Well, they lived at the temples!"

"And?"

Aang frowned. "What do you mean, and?"

Kyoshi nodded to herself. "I thought this might have been the case. That's why I came."

"You have something to tell me, don't you?" Aang furrowed his brow. "I don't mean this in a bad way or anything, but why are you here instead of Roku? He's usually the one to teach me about things."

"Roku didn't spend enough time with the Air Nomads to be in any position to tell you about this." Kyoshi tucked her some hair behind her ear.

"Well…" Aang thought for a moment. "What about Yangchen?"

Kyoshi shook her head. "Avatar Yangchen's time was too far in the past." Kyoshi looked at Aang sympathetically. "You were too young to have known, when you were frozen in the ice. Monk Gyatso made it a priority to introduce you to leadership and nobility across other nations, preparing you for life as the Avatar. He didn't focus as much on taking you to visit other Air Nomads."

Aang closed his eyes. "Kyoshi, what are you talking about? You're just confusing me."

"I apologize." Kyoshi closed her eyes, contemplating what to say next. "I brought you here, Aang, because I thought it was important for you to know the full history of your people. Not all of the Air Nomads were monks and acolytes, and not all of them lived at temples."

Aang wasn't sure what to say. Before he had the chance to do anything, Kyoshi pushed aside a drapery of vines, gesturing for him to move forward. His mouth dropped open as he stepped through.

The clearing of the jungle was full of people - there were at least two dozen, all bustling about. Children were chasing each other, laughing and shrieking with joy. Men and women cleaned their clothing in the stream, and others worked together to prepare food. Just then, even more people emerged from the other side of the clearing, carrying baskets of fruit. Aang stood still, completely speechless.

Kyoshi walked up next to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. "When I was Avatar, I made an agreement with the Earth Kingdom. They were beginning to patrol their borders more strictly as well as enforce taxes."

Aang smiled as a child ran by them, oblivious to the two spirits. "What does that have to do with the Air Nomads?"

Kyoshi huffed slightly. "Let me get there, Aang."

"Right. Sorry."

"They agreed that certain Earth Kingdom territories such as jungles and forests could be the homes of Air Nomads," Kyoshi continued, watching as some of the nomads began sorting the fruit they had harvested. "and they would be exempt from Earth Kingdom citizenship and taxes. In return, I trained and provided the Dai Lee." She shook her head. "I regret creating the Dai Lee, but it was right to let the Air Nomads continue their way of life."

Aang couldn't tear his eyes away from the vibrancy in front of him. Everywhere he looked, there was more happening, more to see. "What way of life?"

"These are the traveling Air Nomads." Kyoshi gestured toward the people spread across the clearing. "They aren't monks, and they aren't acolytes. Some of them may choose to become monks or acolytes, but here, they are free to be as they are. They travel from place to place, feeding off of the land."

There was a strange feeling in Aang's chest. Was it sadness? No...was it joy? That wasn't right, either. No, it was something else. Whatever this feeling was, it was overwhelming, and for a few moments Aang forgot how to breathe, how to think, how to be.

"They only take what they need, and they never take more." Kyoshi continued. "They have very similar pacifist and vegetarian philosophies that you grew up with."

"What happened to them?" Aang asked, his voice cracking.

Kyoshi grimaced. "That, I don't know."

"But…" Aang struggled to process. "I thought I was the last airbender?"

"You are."

"But, if there were more Air Nomads -"

"I'm just putting together the pieces of the puzzle, Aang." Kyoshi shook her head. "What I know, what Roku knew, and what you know now. Only you have the power to move on from here and figure everything out. I don't know what happened to the rest of the Air Nomads, but I do know from experience that there were hundreds of groups of them, and they were hard to track." Kyoshi paused, hesitating for a moment. "...I don't want to give you false hope, Aang. That is not the point of me showing you this. This was a part of your culture, too, and it shouldn't be forgotten."

"What if…" Aang felt his heart in his throat. "What if there are still some Air Nomads alive? What if they've been in hiding? Maybe the Fire Nation didn't wipe them out..."

Kyoshi shrugged her shoulders. "It's up to you to find someone who knows what happened to them. It was no secret that there were bands of Air Nomads in the Earth Kingdom wildlands."

"But…" Aang felt dizzy. "Everyone always told me that I was the last Airbender, and that no one has seen an Airbender since Sozin attacked the Air Temples."

"I don't think everyone is lying to you." Kyoshi shook her head. "But there may be more truth out there to find. And just because you're the last Airbender doesn't necessarily mean you're the last Air Nomad. There still may be descendants -"

Aang scoffed. "The majority of Air Nomads were Airbenders, I would highly doubt that any Air Nomads would still be alive and not still have their bending abilities."

Suddenly, Aang felt a strange tug on his being. He turned around and blinked at the bright light shining through the trees.

Kyoshi shielded her eyes. "If I'm not mistaken, I believe Avatar Yangchen wants to speak with you. I've told you everything I know. She must have some insights, as well."

Aang turned quickly as Kyoshi began to shrink. "Wait," He cried, reaching out. "I how do I know where to look?"

She was gone. Aang let himself be pulled away, speeding through a blur of color and sound before landing in front of Yangchen.

They were at Yangchen's temple. They sat facing each other in the courtyard, a large statue of the Avatar staring down at them.

His eyes adjusted to the light, and he felt a strange swell of emotion when he saw Avatar Yangchen. They were both sitting cross-legged on the ground, and the jolting, eerie sense of familiarity was almost too much for Aang. He swallowed the lump in his throat quickly, as Yangchen smiled at him.

"Hello, Aang."

o0o0o

_"Katara..." Hadoka reached out and took Katara into his arms. She was only a small child, and she fit into his embrace perfectly. "Why are you crying? What happened?"_

_"I-I had a bad d-dream..." The little girl whimpered, digging her face into her father's shoulder._

_Hadoka ran his hand through her hair. "Tell me what happened, little snowflake."_

_Katara sniffled, still shaking. "It was about t-that man again! The one with him and Mommy!" Hadoka's face darkened, but Katara was buried into his chest, and she couldn't see. "Mommy said it was ok-kay, so I ran away, but when I came back he had already hurt her! I didn't come find you fast enough! And the man's helmet had horns, and his eyes were scary, they were so -"_

_"Katara..." Hadoka held her closer, rocking back and forth. "Do you remember what Mommy used to sing to you when you had bad dreams?"_

_The Waterbender sniffled. "Yes..."_

_"Well, I forgot a little bit." Hadoka adjusted where his daughter sat in his lap. "Will you help me sing it?"_

_Katara wiped away one of her tears before putting her hand on Hadoka's cheek. "Of course I'll sing with you'_

"Hey, uh, Katara?"

Katara jumped slightly, wiping her eyes and trying to swallow her silent sobs. She looked up at the voice. "Z-Zuko?"

The Fire Lord sat next to her hesitantly. "I'm worried about you."

Katara took a shaky breath, hiccuping another sob. "Why?" She asked, sniffling as she attempted to wipe the tear stains off her cheeks.

He stared at her for a moment. "Why?" He repeated, dumbstruck. "Because you're sobbing in the corner and I have absolutely NO idea what's happened!" He reached out for her slightly but pulled back.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes while Katara calmed her breathing, and when her sobs were finally reduced to the occasional hiccup, she answered. "I feel guilty."

Zuko looked up at her. "Guilty? For what?"

"I feel like…" She struggled to find the right words. "I feel like I left Aang behind."

He blinked. "Left Aang behind?"

"Yes, Zuko. Why do you keep repeating everything I say?"

"Oh," Zuko sat back, leaning against her tent awkwardly. "Sorry. I was just surprised because that doesn't make any sense. You didn't leave Aang behind, you decided to stay with us."

"Not right now, you MORON!" Katara snapped, popping open her water flask to take a drink. "When I left to go to the South Pole! You know, when I left Aang to live with you and Toph for the last THREE YEARS?"

Zuko nodded with realization. "Ooooh, I see." he then furrowed his eyebrows. "Well, how was I supposed to know that was what you meant?"

Katara took a deep breath. "Look...I just…" She stopped, looking over at Aang's tent. "I feel like maybe if I had stayed, we wouldn't have lost feelings for each other."

Zuko's eyebrows moved from their scrunched position to a raised arch. "Aang told Sokka and I that you two ended your relationship mutually."

"Well, I haven't told anyone, so you two might be the only people that know." Katara sighed, rubbing her temples. "And we did end it mutually, I just…"

"Are you unhappy?"

"I just feel like I abandoned him." She said again, as if this would explain everything.

Zuko looked at her for a few moments. "Katara, you know that's not true, right?" When she didn't answer, he continued more intensely. "I'm serious. Aang missed you, of course. So did me and Toph. But you didn't ABANDON him. You left to go help your father rebuild your tribe - that's such a huge and important task."

Katara picked up a handful of sand and let it fall through her fingers. "I had never gone anywhere without him since we found him," She admitted, watching the particles fall before picking up more sand. "I promised him once that I would always be there for him, and I broke that promise."

Zuko bit the inside of his cheek. "Katara, did you ever feel like Aang wasn't there for you during the last three years?"

"What?" She looked up at him. "No! Aang always sent me letters and made sure to see me every few months, and I could always tell him about…" She trailed off, realizing where Zuko was going with this. "Okay, okay, I get it. I was still there for Aang while I was in the North Pole. But it's not the same! What if he needed me? What if he got hurt and needed healing, and I wasn't there?"

Zuko shook his head. "Then he would deal with it like everyone else who doesn't have a Master Healer as their friend." Katara opened her mouth to protest, but Zuko cut her off. "Katara, Aang is sixteen now. When you left to go to the Southern Water Tribe, he was almost fourteen. That's how old you were during the war, right?"

Katara sat quietly. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Okay," Zuko sat forward slightly. "And you believe in Aang?"

Katara looked taken aback. "Of course I do!"

"So, Aang is growing up more, and even when he was younger, he was capable." Zuko thought for a moment. "And now he's 16, and he's done so much for all of the kingdoms. And he did it all by himself."

"But he shouldn't have had to do it alone…"

"Katara." Zuko folded his arms. "Are you expecting him to travel and do Avatar work with a giant group of friends ALL the time? Half of the time, it's just meetings!" Katara glared at him, but he continued, unfazed. "And he's not your responsibility!"

"But-"

Zuko put a hand on her arm. "The only time you should feel responsibility for someone else is if you want to have children, and even then, you have to let them grow up and become independent." He realized he was touching her and quickly pulled away. "I, uh, I mean…" He stuttered, "Sorry, I just, I don't -" He paused to recollect himself. "You really shouldn't feel bad, Katara. And if you do, just talk to him about it. Once he's back."

Katara looked back again at Aang's tent. The faint glow of the Avatar State was visible through the tent. "I won't leave him behind this time."

Zuko sighed, but decided not to argue. He smoothed out the sand in front of him and began to draw shapes. Stick figures, a mountain, a crudely shaped town. A movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he looked over to see Katara doing the same. He smiled to himself and continued to work on his masterpiece, careful not to do anything to mess up Katara's canvas. After a while, they were both done, and Katra asked what Zuko's picture was.

"Guess!" He told her proudly.

She stared at the large, rounded mound. At the top were two stick figures, and above them were two dots. On one side of the mound was...something, and on the other side was an oval. "Hm…" Katara frowned, studying the picture. "Is it that story you and Aang have told us? About Roku and Sozin on the volcano?"

Zuko looked down at it in surprise. "Uh, no, but I see how you thought that."

"I didn't realize these were people at first," Katara pointed to the two figures. "I thought you had drawn an owl with a mouse."

Zuko stared blankly at her. "How the fuck does that look like an owl?"

"Well, what's it SUPPOSED to be?"

"It's us!"

Katara pulled back slightly, looking back down at the drawing. "...what?"

"Look." Zuko gestured for her to move next to him, exasperated. "See? This is us at the top of the sound mound, last night. These are the stars," he pointed at the dots above the stick figures. "And this-" he gestured to the strange oval. "-is the oasis! See?"

Katara raised her eyebrows. "Sooo...what's this?" She pointed at the strange jumble of lines drawn in the sand on the other side of the mound.

Zuko glared at her. "That's Chan Lin! Obviously!"

Katara looked back down at it before bursting into a fit of giggles. "I thought it was Nyla, the Shirshu!"

"Nyla isn't made of SQUARES, Katara!" Zuko snapped. "Whatever, let me see yours."

Katara scooted over so that he could see her drawing, and he stared at it for a moment in confusion. He had been expecting a picture like his, with people in it, showing a story. But all he saw were large dots with lines connecting them in a strange lined pattern.

"Katara, what is this?" He asked, pointing at it.

Katara smirked at him. "I knew you weren't listening to me last night! It's a constellation. My favorite one. I told you, remember?"

It clicked in Zuko's mind. They had both fallen asleep pointing out patterns in the sky. "Taurus!" He remembered, and he grinned triumphantly as Katara's smirk vanished.

"Okay, so you DO remember." Katara mumbled. "But I stumped you!"

"How was I supposed to know what a bunch of lines meant?"

"I could say the same for you!"

Zuko shoved her playfully, trying to suppress his grin. His eyes softened. "I really do mean it, Katara. You hold yourself up to such high expectations...you're so hard on yourself. It's just not...possible. You should be nicer to yourself."

Katara met his gaze, thinking, pursing her lips. "Okay," she decided. "I'll work on being nicer to myself if you work on it, too. That way we can help hold each other accountable."

Zuko opened his mouth to protest but realized any argument he made would sound hypocritical, so he just nodded. Katara smiled widely, leaning back against the tent and closing her eyes.

"Thank you, Zuko."

o0o0o

"Do you know if there are any Airbenders that are still alive?"

Aang immediately bit his tongue, wishing he hadn't rushed into the conversation so bluntly. Avatar Yangchen just smiled at him warmly, shaking her head.

"I only know what our lifetimes know, Aang." She replied gently, resting her hands in her lap. "And it seems that you weren't taught the origins of Airbending before your separation from the Air Nomads. It's my obligation to teach you of our ways."

Aang sat forward eagerly. "There are more traditions?"

"Not traditions?" Yangchen shook her head. "The very way Airbenders exist." Noting the look of confusion on Aang's face, Yanchen pressed on. "The Air Nomads are the most spiritually connected of the four nations, by a vast amount. You said something that wasn't necessarily true…that the majority of Air Nomads are Airbenders."

Aang frowned. "But...I thought they were!"

Yangchen thought to herself. "Well, technically they are. But I wouldn't go as far as to say all of them are...benders in a typical Air Nomad temple or tribe were usually 60-75%. What you must be thinking of is that even non-bending Air Nomads are able to connect spiritually - not through bending, but through meditation."

Aang nodded with understanding. "So, there are certain parts of spirituality that come with bending, but other parts that come from meditation."

"Correct." Yangchen affirmed, her eyes crinkling. "Technically, anyone can connect and visit the spiritual realm...but the other nations don't practice meditation like the Air Nomads."

"Interesting…" Aang cocked his head, his eyebrows furrowed. "...but, what does that have to do with how many Airbenders there are?"

Yangchen's smile widened, and she asked, "Do you remember the famous proverb of Monk Kituyso?

Aang closed his eyes. "I remember his name, but I've forgotten many of the proverbs…"

"'Bending is a gift,'" Yangchen recited, "'given by the spirits. They reward those who please them with blessings of fresh air.'"

Aang stared at her blankly. "That's….nice."

"What it means, Aang," she continued, slightly amused, "Is that Airbending is not genetic like the color of our eyes, or the shape of our nose. It is passed down from our parents - not from their genetics, but from their actions. The more one's parents participate in spiritual practices -"

"- the more likely their child is to be an Airbender…" Aang realized, the truth dawning on him. "That makes complete sense! That's why they were still the majority of the Air Nomads, since meditation and other rituals are so important to our culture!"

"Exactly." Yangchen gazed proudly at the young Avatar. "Even some couples who participate in spiritual practices regularly and meditate daily are still not dedicated or in-depth enough to unlock Airbending for their child."

Aang sat blinking for a moment, processing this new information. "Wait...but, if spiritual practices are what determines who Airbenders are, couldn't people in other nations have Airbender children? If they practiced meditation?"

"Oh, no." Yangchen assured him. "It's still somewhat genetic - all Air Nomads have the genetic connection to the spiritual world, and that's why Airbending is passed through the practice of meditation rather than pure genetics."

"Oh…" Aang trailed off. "Okay, I think that makes sense."

Yangchen's eyes narrowed as she watched him. "I'm sorry, I know this is a lot. I didn't mean to overwhelm you, I just realized in the last few years that you weren't aware of the fullness of our culture, and I wanted to tell you sooner rather than later."

Aang's eyes widened. "Oh, no, Yangchen! It's okay! I'm just a bit…"

"You're overwhelmed." Yangchen bowed her head slightly. "I'll give you some time."

They sat under the shadow of Yangchen's statue. Aang was completely still, Yanchen's words rolling over in his head. "But….this means…" Aang stared at the ground in front of him, which seemed to shift in front of his very eyes. "...this means that there could still be Air Nomads out there. Air Nomads who have just...not practiced any spirituality, so there are no Airbenders…"

"That was precisely my thought as well." Yanchen scratched her head thoughtfully. "They've been hiding for their own survival for almost a century. They might now even know they're descendants of Air Nomads."

"But...what if they have parents from another nation?" Aang thought, asking quickly. "Does that reduce their chances of becoming an Airbender?"

"That depends." Yanchen shrugged slightly. "If an Air Nomad descendant marries a non-bender of any nation, all that matters is the combined total of how much they meditate and connect on a spiritual level. If they connected with another bender, like an Earthbender, the chances of having an Airbender child go down considerably."

"Hold on…" Aang held his hand out in front of him as if he was feeling the air. "Does that mean...might not be the only person responsible for repopulating the airbenders?"

Yangchen's eyes softened, and she met his gaze. Aang held his breath. "If you can find descendants of Air Nomads and teach them our ways, then yes...that's exactly what this means."

o0o0o

Toph leaned against Aang's tent, forming the scrap of metal in her hands. She was getting good at it - she was able to manipulate it in a liquid, semisolid, and solid state, and she could move between those states quickly and seamlessly. As much as she loved metalbending, though, she was beginning to get bored of it. She was running out of new ideas of shapes to form.

Toph shuffled slightly, trying to get comfortable. It didn't work. Frowning, she readjusted again, but the discomfort from before was still there. What was that?

"Fuck." Toph sat up straight, wrapping the metal around her arm as a brace and hardening it. She turned over, plunging her hand into the sand. She muttered a few things to herself before pulling her arm back out, standing up. It was time to get some answers.

Zuko and Katara were meditating. The Waterbender simply sat in the dry, scalding sun, and let herself feel the water in and around her. It was a challenge, in the desert. But she knew this was what she must do. Deepening her relationship and understanding with her element was the next step in her journey.

Zuko, on the other hand, was back in a place that he had let himself forget. He was used to meditating with the sound of rushing water - Uncle had taught him to meditate over a few years while they were at sea. It had been a part of Zuko's daily routine for almost six years of his life, and he had let himself lose discipline. He had been planning to meditate a few nights ago when he ran into Katara, and now he was finally back in a peaceful place that was so foreign, yet so familiar. He hadn't meditated for over a year, yet the posture and breathing exercises came naturally as if he had never stopped.

"Hey, Steam Team. I need you two." The ground underneath the two meditating benders warped and rolled, and they both snapped out of their calm states, scrambling to their feet. Toph stood in front of them, hands on her hips.

"We weren't sleeping!" Zuko snapped, slipping on the loose sand before regaining his footing. "We were meditating!"

"STEAM TEAM?" Katara repeated loudly, her heart still pounding. "Seriously, why would you-"

"What the FUCK, Toph-"

"-could have accidentally attacked you -"

"-me a heart attack!"

Toph raised her eyebrows. "Okay, I can't understand either of you, and I honestly don't care. It's Beifong time."

Zuko looked at her for a moment before asking, "Why? What's going on?"

"What in Agni's name is 'Beifong time?'" Katara folded her arms aggressively.

Toph pointed across the campsite. "I can feel whatever is coming, and it's getting closer. I want to get a better idea of what it is, but I need to dig myself deeper into the ground."

They stared at Toph. "Okay…" Katara was unimpressed. "I still don't see why you had to scare the spirits out of me."

"Sand is going to fly everywhere." Toph said curtly, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. "Would you rather me wake you up this way? Or by sand flying in your face?"  
Zuko looked down. "...okay, fair. That's how I woke up this morning and it was pretty shitty."

"So, 'Beifong Time' is you burrowing yourself in the ground like a badger mole?" Katara huffed, slightly amused. The Kyoshi warriors at the back of Aang's tent had noticed their small conference, and one of them broke away, walking toward the group.

"Not always." Toph crossed her arms. "Sometimes, Sweetness, I just need to do some pure Beifong genius. And for the simple safety measure that I don't blow your minds, it's important for me to make sure you are aware."

Katara just stared at the Earthbender. Zuko leaned over to her and whispered, "That's just something she says when she's going to do some dramatic or complicated Earthbending. It's been a thing for a couple of years now."

Katara nodded in understanding as the Kyoshi warrior reached the group. "Hey, what's going on?" Nasoki asked lightly.

Toph pointed down at the valley, back toward Chan Lin. "I'm going down there to do some crazy shit. Protect your face, there will probably be a lot of sand."

Much to Katara and Zuko's surprise, Nasoki's smile widened. "That sounds fun! Thanks for telling us!"

"You bet." Toph nodded, walking past Aang's tent and heading down the hill. Zuko, Katara, and Nasoki followed her, stopping next to the rest of the Kyoshi warriors. "Wait…" She stopped, bending the metal off of her arm and holding it in the air. "I need a little bit more metal."

Without hesitating, one of the other Kyoshi warriors - Tivah - pulled a large pin out of her hair, letting the dark brown curls fall down and around her shoulders. The pin was clearly made of metal, as was the elaborate flower ornament at the end of the pin. "Here!" She called, tossing it down the hill.

Toph caught the metal by bending and combined it with the rest of her metal. "Thanks!"

Everyone else stared in shock at Tivah, who had just given Toph something that was clearly very valuable. She shifted under their gazes. "What?" She asked after a few moments, folding her arms. "My ex-girlfriend gave me that pin, I don't need it anymore."

Zuko and Katara made eye contact, shrugging, and they all looked back down at Toph. She formed the metal around her head like a band, which extended over her face like a visor. It was a face shield.

"Toph, are you sure this is a good idea?" Zuko stepped forward slightly, incredibly concerned. "If you bury yourself in the ground, you might not be able to breathe, and we won't be able to know…"

"Don't worry, Sparky." Toph turned toward them, her voice echoing behind the face shield. "I'm not burying myself, I'm not a dumbass. I'm making a hole. A big-ass hole. Big enough that when the sand falls into the hole, it still doesn't cover me."

"Oh, right!" Nasoki brightened. "That's why sand will fly everywhere! You're going to be pushing it back as far as possible!"

Toph pointed at her. "Exactly!"

They watched as Toph made her way down to the bottom of the valley, and as she planted her feet, the Kyoshi warriors unsheathed and held up their shields.

Katara grabbed Zuko's arm. "We should go inside the tent with Aang, since we don't have shields."

Zuko looked back at Toph hesitantly. "...okay."

The Earthbender began to twirl the sand around her, as if she was making a tornado. She pulled the sand out from underneath her, and she began to sink - deeper and deeper, creating a funnel of sand. The particles flung through the air, pounding against the Kyoshi warrior's shields and pattering against the tents. Zuko and Katara looked at each other, kneeling on either side of Aang, who lit up the room.

Outside, Toph slowly began to sink down. She went further, the sand getting cooler. "Come on, Toph…" she muttered to herself, barely audible over the sound of the sand hitting the metal shield over her face. "...keep it moving…"

The sand grew tighter, more compact, but it was still sand. She kept going. She was meters below the sand level now, and the funnel she was creating was increasing dramatically. Toph hadn't thought it would take this long. What if the funnel swallowed the campsite?

Only then did her feet hit solid ground, and she stopped. Kneeling quickly, she put her hand to the ground, concentrating. Come on...come on…

The sand was filling back in around her, but she could feel them. She gathered the information they needed - it didn't take more than a few seconds. She was on her knees, and the sand was already up to her waist.

"Alright, Toph." She took a deep breath, focusing herself. "Beifong time."

Zuko and Katara both jumped as they heard a blast of sand, and Katara had to hold Zuko back from running out of the tent. "Do you not hear all of that?" She yelled over the sand, which was slamming against the tent. "It could hurt you!"

Before Zuko could protest, the sand stopped. He pulled his arm out of her grasp, running out of the tent, and Katara didn't argue. She was close behind him, running around to the Kyoshi warriors and peering down into the valley.

"Whoa…" Nasoki breathed, her eyes even wider than normal.

Zuko was pale. "Agni save me…"

The valley had been turned into a steep crater, as if something had smashed into it.. Toph was standing in the center, on what appeared to be actual dirt, bending the metal visor off of her head. Katara looked behind them, her mouth open, and saw that their firepit and other supplies were completely covered in sand. The oasis was also gone.

Somehow, Toph had managed to blow all of that sand out of the valley. She was no longer standing in a funnel...she stood on solid ground. Sand slowly trickled in on all sides from the large mounds, but they could have built an entire hut on the earth that Toph had cleared.

Toph kneeled again, placing her hand on the ground. She paid no mind to the state she was in - even from a distance, she was clearly a mess. Her feet, hands, neck, and every other exposed area of skin were torn with sand. Her clothes were tattered, too. Her hand bled onto the ground as she concentrated, and the six figures at the top of the mound just stared down at her, astonished.

"...how did she do that?" Moyi asked, completely flabbergasted.

Katara shook her head. "I have no idea. It's like...it's like she made it explode."

"...Katara?"

They all whirled around quickly. Aang stepped out from his tent, blinking at the sunlight. He looked around at the empty campsite, where only a few tents remained, and frowned at the firepit. It was almost completely buried in the sand. He walked up to the group and gasped, looking down at the giant hole Toph had created. "Toph?" He said a bit louder, clearly a bit shaken. "What's going on?"

Toph sighed, beginning to walk toward them gingerly. "Good to see you're back, Twinkle Toes." She remarked, creating footholds for herself in the sand in order to climb up the hill. "It'll be easier to fight them if you're awake."

"Fight who?" Aang glanced behind him, confused. "Where is everyone?"

Zuko grabbed Toph's arm as she stumbled up to them, and he looked worriedly at her wounds. "What did you feel, Toph?"

"They're people, all right." Toph grimaced. Katara grabbed a blanket from inside her tent, shaking the sand off of it, and laid it down on the ground. The Earthbender sat down on it gratefully. "A big group of them, I'd say at least as many rebels that were in Chan Lin. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole town came after us."

Katara, who was digging for the water flasks a few meters away, looked up. "Are they close?" She asked anxiously.

Toph pressed her lips into a thin line. "They're really close."

"Okay, so, the rebels followed us…" Aang nodded, closing his eyes. "But, where is everyone?"

"We need Mai to establish her presence as Governor as soon as possible," Zuko explained. "Especially because that gives her access to the district troops. We'll be able to protect ourselves and the citizens of Rotaki better that way."

Aang nodded slowly. "So...everyone else went with Mai to Bhang Chi?"

"Well, we were all going to go…" Toph sniffed, "but SOMEONE decided to leave their physical body, which means some of us had to stay behind and protect it."

After Katara found the water flasks, she popped one open, jogging over to Toph and preparing to heal her. Toph began to object, but Katara wouldn't have it, and she didn't have the energy to continue.

Aang sat back against the tent, his mind reeling. Was he really gone for THAT long?"

Zuko caught his eye. "What was so important that kept you gone so long?"

Aang's heart rate began to rise, and the beating climbed up into his throat, throbbing behind his eardrums. "Oh, um…" he heard himself say, not quite aware he was doing it. "I was learning."

Nasoki leaned forward, handing Aang a leftover bowl of soup and some water. "Learning about what?" She asked curiously.

Aang blinked a few tears away, but he couldn't stop them all as he locked eyes with Katara, then moved on to look at Zuko. "...I might now have to repopulate the Airbenders by myself, Katara - there still might be Air Nomads alive! And I have to find-"

Something pinched Katara's leg. She brushed at it absentmindedly, trying to listen to the rest of Aang's sentence, but her body wouldn't respond. She looked down, frowning, and willed herself to speak. Nothing came out.

Beside her, Aang fell to the ground. Toph simply lie still on the blanket, and she barely made a noise when Sokka collapsed on top of her. Katara fell as well, her head landing next to Zuko's shoulder.

I didn't think...they were that...close…

That was the last thing she thought, and as a lair of black boots walked up to her fading vision. Before Katara could try and see who it was, she had sunken into a dreamless, hopeless, and timeless sleep.


	8. By the Spirits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Terrifyingly familiar faces turn up in Bhang Chi only minutes after Mai has taken charge, and their presence is not only a trigger for the new Governor, but a terrible omen for everyone. While still dealing with her haunting past, not far behind her, Mai works with Suki and Sokka to try and save their friends - no matter what the cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Glad to see you're back! Please feel free to comment, and remember - this chapter is currently *unrevised*! I'm so glad you've made it this far, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!
> 
> tw // trauma/ptsd

Mai stood in front of her father's desk, where he sat like a king on a throne. She didn't look away as he glared up at her, finally taking the papers in her outstretched hand and opening them. He bared his teeth. "You dare question my authority? This is akin to treason!"

"No, Father." Mai replied simply. "I'm not questioning your authority at all, because it's not yours anymore. It's mine."

Ukano's eyes widened in outrage. "Why, you insolent child!"

"Go home to mother and Tom-Tom." Mai interrupted smoothly. Only her eyes betrayed the emotion she felt. "The Generals have been notified, and they now answer to me. I met with your advisors on the way into the city. Just go home and rest."

There was a knock at the door. Mai immediately felt a bubbling sense of annoyance rise in her chest, but she pushed it down. "I asked not to be disturbed."

The door opened slightly, and a pair of wide blue eyes peaked through. "Um, yeah, sorry, I know. It's just that we all finished our jobs, so we met back in the main hall, and -"

Mai rolled her eyes. "Get on with it."

Sokka straightened up in the doorway, his face hardening. "The troops are ready to go, but there are some people at the gates. Some sketchy looking dudes with a lot of cargo - they keep saying you'll regret it if you don't talk with them."

"They're going to regret interrupting me." Mai muttered under her breath, turning back to her father. "I've already arranged an escort to take you home. I'm sorry it had to be this way."

Ukano stood. "This isn't over."

"Yes. It is." Mai walked past Sokka out into the hallway, and Sokka shut the door behind her, leaving her father alone in what would soon be her office.

Mai walked quickly. Walking slowly was lazy, in her opinion. Sokka jogged slightly to keep up. "I want you and Suki to come out with me." She decided, not even turning to look at him.

Sokka blinked. "You want to leave Jet in here alone?"

"I was under the impression that there were Kyoshi warriors watching him." Mai's eyes narrowed. "Or was I mistaken?"

Sokka facepalmed. "No, you're right, I'm just completely overwhelmed."

Mai turned back to facing straight in front of her. "Yeah, that much is clear. Your emotions are like a book written for children."

"...is that a compliment?"

"Are you really that worried about them?" Mai mused, turning the corner into the hall.

Sokka shook his head. "I don't think I'm worried...I know they can take care of themselves. But bad things can happen to anyone, and I just have a really bad feeling."

Mai and Sokka walked past Suki and the other Kyoshi warriors, and Sokka waved at his girlfriend. "Suki! Come on!"

She finished up what she was saying to her warriors before jogging to catch up with them. Jet followed closely behind her, breaking free from the pack of women. "Hey!" He snapped, running in front of them. "Where are you going? I want to come with you!"

Mai's eyes flashed. "You're lucky I haven't put you in a prison cell. If you keep complaining so much, I might change my mind about that. You're staying here."

Jet opened his mouth to argue, but closed it quickly after processing what she had just said. They passed him quickly, and Suki waved at him tauntingly on the way by.

Mai's family home was called the House of Bhang Chi, which she found very original and not boring at all. Unlike most capital buildings, it wasn't in the center of the city, but within the first block. She ignored the hastened whispers of Sokka behind her as he tried to update Suki, walking firmly on the dusty road. This was considered the main street of Bhang Chi, and it wasn't empty. But it wasn't busy, either.

Mai nodded at a few guards who began to open the gates, and Mai stepped through them, her friends not far behind.

The first thing she saw were four large carts covered in tarp. She knew what those were...her eyes moved down to the five men standing in front of the carts, holding the reins to their ostrich-horses and smirking.

Mai felt herself float away from her body, and time slowed down. She stood frozen, speechless, staring into the eyes of the first man. His specialty was immorality and his eyes were empty, yet he still smiled. Before she realized what she was doing, Mai had whipped out her knives.

Within seconds, all five of the men found themselves with a stiletto sticking out of their thigh. They slowly fell, paralyzed, and Mai could faintly hear Sokka and Suki yelling in alarm. Sokka grabbed her shoulder. "Mai, what the hell is going on?"

She shook him away, running up to the men. She stared down at the leader, who lay in an awkward paralyzed position. He still looked at her, though, and his eyes were taunting. Mai could feel her entire body shaking "What kind of disgusting trick is this?" turned around as if there was going to be a surprise, or someone was going to show up and say it was all fake. "I killed you! How are you -"

"You hfell hfor the decoys…" The man croaked, his words slightly muffled due to his mouth being almost paralyzed. "You nehver ehven bothered to turn on a light. Hwe hpaid those lads good to hbe sitting duhcks…"

Mai stumbled away as he spoke. "They didn't even know? Did I kill anyone who was actually guilty?"

"Ohf course hyou didn't."

Mai felt as if she was falling. I killed innocent people? They're still alive? They're here? They're alive? How many innocent people did I murder that night?

Sokka knelt next to Mai, who had fallen on her knees at some point. "Mai, who are these guys?"

"I thought I killed them, Sokka…" Mai rocked back and forth slightly. "I thought I'd never see them again."

Sokka looked up at them sharply. "They're...they're THOSE guys? Who did that stuff to you and June?"

Mai nodded. She felt Sokka stand up behind her. "Suki, go grab a few Kyoshi warriors. Leave a few for Jet, but bring the rest. We're not letting these guys escape." Footsteps raced away, and Mai barely recognized when Sokka put his hand on her shoulder. "Mai, how long will that paralysis last?"

"At least an hour."

Sokka nodded, getting up and beginning to inspect the carts. He found a few papers, which he folded and stuffed in his pocket, and he also saw a fan laying in one of the carts.

Wait...a fan?

Suki was just returning with the other warriors, who began restraining the paralyzed men, when Sokka ripped off one of the four tarps. They all looked up at the noise, and Suki gasped. Sokka's mouth fell open. "By the spirits...Nasoki?"

"Moyi?" Suki ran to the crate that held them, whipping out her katana and busting off the lock. The two kyoshi warriors lay in a slumped pile on the floor, practically on top of one another. Suky crawled into the cage and moved them enough to check for their pulses, and her shoulders heaved. "Oh thank Agni, thank Agni, they're alive. Their breathing is steady. Sokka, help me get them out of this...this cage -" She grasped at the girls desperately, as if she was trying to pull them out of the crate by herself.

"This is what they were talking about." Mai said in a hollow voice. "They said that I would regret not talking to them, and they had our friends."

They ripped the rest of the tarps off quickly, and Sokka swallowed a heave of panic when he saw Katara. He unsheathed his sword and bashed open the lock, desperately checking on his sister.

She was okay. She was breathing.

Sokka forced himself to take a calming breath and turned to check Zuko as well. After ensuring that they were both okay, Suki helped him carry them outside.

If it hadn't been such a serious situation, Sokka would have died laughing at the imprinted pattern Katara's shoes left on Zuko's face.

o0o0o

Aang awoke with a stabbing pain radiating through his lower back.

He arched crying out, flinging his arms out. They were met with a cool, soft resistance.

He opened his eyes.

Instinctively, Aang gasped, and immediately pulled his hands through the water to his throat. He prepared to choke on a mouthful of water, but no such thing happened. His chest heaved with heavy breaths, causing the water to ripple away from him slightly.

What was this?

He looked around.

Blue. It stretched as far as he could see, different shades of it overlapping and swirling together. He tried to bend the water, but he couldn't feel it. Before he could ponder his predicament any further, he curled himself up in agony. His back spasmed as he screamed into the endless ocean, which muffled his cries, swallowing them.

"You must wake up, Aang."

The pain subsided at this voice, and Aang didn't have to look to see who it was. "Roku…" He croaked, reaching out. He could barely see the wisps of the old man standing before him in the water. "What's...happening…"

"You must rise." Roku replied simply. A small current whisked him away, and Aang gritted his teeth.

He needed to find air.

He began swimming, praying to all the spirits and gods he could name that he was going toward the surface. He kicked himself toward the lighter blue ocean, but it never seemed to get closer. Aang gasped as his back cramped up again, causing him to freeze mid-stroke.

His momentum carried him forward as he convulsed slightly, praying that the pain would stop. After a few moments, it did, and Aang just breathed.

Since when could he breathe underwater?

"Aang." Roku's voice echoed through the water. "You must rise."

"It's too far…" Aang groaned, staring at the bright blue ocean. His voice sounded distant under the water. "I don't think I'm strong enough."

Roku's bodiless voice rumbled in response, "It is not too late for you, Aang." A rush of voices blurred past him as he arched his back, another stabbing pain radiating through his body.

"Aang." Kyoshi's voice hummed through the water. "Let yourself be healed. It's the only way for you to rise."

"But it's hurting me!" He begged, his tears mixing with the water around him. He reached around to feel the scar on his back, gasping as he touched an open wound. His voice shook with panic. "W-what's happening to me?"

"Your body is trying to heal." A new voice rose. Yangchen. "But you are resisting."

Aang tried to feel the water around him, but it was no use. He couldn't concentrate on anything through the pain. "Ah!" He cried, jerking as another stabbing pain erupted. "I don't understand!" Aang gasped desperately, clawing at any strand of reality he could remember. "This wound was healed years ago! What's wrong with it now?"

"All wounds leave scars, Aang." Yangchen said simply. "You've simply had a very deep wound be...in a metaphorical sense…re-stabbed."

"Just let me wake up and let Katara heal me!" Aang grasped at his side, where a stitch was beginning to form due to the pain.

"Sometimes healing is painful." Yangchen responded. "But you are strong. You are a child whose legacy was sure to be legend before you were born. You see the good in what is impure." Her voice softened. "Remember, Aang. You are imperfect, just like all living creatures. Growing and healing is the hardest fight you'll ever face, because you'll have to face it alone."

Aang's thoughts were spinning wildly. "Face it alone…" he mumbled.

He had never faced anything scary without his friends before. When he was hurt, Katara had almost always been there to heal him. When he was scared, he always knew people had his back.

Right now, he was alone.

"Aang." All the voices blurred together. "You MUST rise!"

Aang forced himself to straighten out, letting out a sob as the pain radiated throughout his back. His vision blurred from the intensity and he stared up toward the lighter blue ocean. He began to swim - kicking, pulling himself upward at what felt like an agonizingly slow pace. He let out a strangled scream as his back cramped again, but he forced himself to continue forward. Continue upward. He forced himself to continue swimming.

The light wasn't getting any brighter - the weight of the water wasn't feeling any lighter. Aang screamed into the salty ocean, kicking frantically. His entire body felt like it was tearing apart. He clenched his eyes shut, tears mixing with the water around him.

Aang reached up desperately, drowning in the pain, just as he emerged from the water.

He burst out of the sea, screaming in agony as he continued to tumble upwards, falling towards an endless sky.

o0o0o

Suki felt as if her heart stayed in the infirmary. It wasn't far from the main hall, but it was still out of sight. She knew that Mai needed her...but her gut wrenched as she left Sokka behind, holding Katara's hand.

She didn't know who these men were, but she knew damn well they were going to pay.

Mai stood before the men, who were bound and watched by the Kyoshi was thankful she wasn't on the receiving end of that glare. There was so much rage and hatred, such pure contempt in her eyes...Suki was desperate to know who these men were. She wanted to know what they had done.

Mai turned to her as she approached. "Are you ready?"

Suki hesitated, lowering her voice so their chat was private. "...who are these men, Mai?"

The Governor immediately flinched as if Suki had poured salt in a wound. "...they're bounty hunters." She replied stiffly. Suki was beginning to wonder if that's all she was going to say, but suddenly Mai's shoulder's sagged. "They used me as a bargaining chip to kill June."

Suki gasped quietly, trying not to react too much in front of the men. "Agni, Mai, that was them?"

"I thought I killed them." Mai looked up, blinking rapidly. "But...but apparently they tricked me. I don't know what they want with me now."

"Mai, I'm so sorry…"

She shook her head. "Let's just figure out what they want." she snarled, fingering the knives up her sleeves.

Suki usually didn't enjoy interrogation...she still didn't. But she felt incredibly satisfied at the fear in their eyes as she unsheathed her katana, thrusting it forward so that the tip barely touched the first man's neck. ""Tell me…" she asked, kneeling so that she was at eye level with her captive. "...what do you think you're going to get out of this?"

The man grinned, and Suki forced her expression to remain impassive as the foul stench of his breath wafted over her. "I'm gonna get a beautiful list, that's what."

Behind her, Suki heard Mai snarl softly. "You're still after the damn list? You could have been busy working to create your own by now."

Suki shifted where her blade rested on his neck. "What makes you think you're in a place to negotiate?"

"Your little friends have been sedated with a powerful poison. It took us a while to get our hands on it. There's very few things in the world that can wake them…" The man chuckled to himself. "We can provide you with a cure - we can tell you what it is. But only after you give us the list."

Suki's heart was pounding, but she didn't show it. "You won't hold up your end of the bargain. Do you really think we're that foolish?"

The man shrugged. "You can either let go of your pride and give us the list, and then we have no more qualms with you and we'll tell you. Or you can let your friends stay asleep for the rest of their lives...assuming they'd live very long." He smiled slyly at Mai. "I didn't know you were friends with the Avatar...or are you not? You never asked him for help, and you don't seem that eager to save him now."

"I can take care of myself." Mai replied stiffly.

Suki pressed forward. She had to get answers. "I have a better deal." her tone was dangerously low. "How about you tell us the cure, and we might not kill you."

The man laughed. "If you kill us, you'll never know what we poisoned them with! What a bluff!"

"Maybe I am bluffing." Suki's quiet voice was steady. Firm. "But so are you. You won't give us the information - you'll lie. Or just run. And I don't know if you've forgotten, but last I checked, you're in chains. And your life is in my hands." the katana twitched in Suki's grip, and the man looked down warily. A few of his friends gulped. "So listen carefully." Suki continued. "Either you can keep quiet and die, or you can tell us the truth and possibly not die. Those are your options."

He stared into her eyes, his brows furrowing, and she met his gaze unwaveringly. He studied her for a few moments before smiling slightly. "No."

Suki leaned back impassively. "If you don't tell us a week from now, I'll personally oversee your execution."

The man's eyes twinkled in a vile way. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Take them to the cellars." Mai commanded one of the Kyoshi warriors, who nodded. "I want two of you there at all times, plus triple the typical security. Let's go, Suki."

Mai took off in a brisk walk across the hall and Suki sheathed her sword, jogging slightly to catch up with her. "Mai, I can keep trying -"

"No, it's okay." Mai was pale. "Thank you."

Suki opened her mouth to speak, closed it, and then opened it again. "Are you okay, Mai?"

Mai didn't answer. Instead, she flung open the doors to the infirmary, rushed inside, immediately found the nearest basin and threw up. There were a few Kyoshi warriors standing guard in the room, and Sokka sat next to Katara's bed. They all looked over at her, mouths falling open in shock.

Suki gasped, running over. She quickly reached around to pull Mai's hair away from her face. "Agni, Mai, what's going on? Are you okay?"

She threw up again, and a few nurses came bustling into the room, concerned. "Oh, Lady Mai!" One of them fussed, grabbing a large bowl. "Come, now...come and lay down...let me get you a cool cloth…"

Mai let herself be pulled away from the basin and over to a nearby bed, but quickly reached for the bowl in the nurse's hands to retch again. Suki brushed past the maids who were already heading to clean up the basin and followed Mai, concerned.

"I'll be okay, Raizha…" Mai mumbled to the nurse, who had returned with the cool cloth as promised. "There's no need for -"

"Nonsense, child!" the nurse, Raizha, began to dab at Mai's face with the cool towel.

Suki sat in one of the chairs next to her bed. To her surprise, Sokka appeared next to her, kneeling. "Mai," he asked softly, "you don't have to deal with them yourself. Suki and I can take care of them. You don't need to put yourself through this."

Mai's eyes were glazed over as she looked up at him, and she shifted her gaze to travel across their eight unconscious friends. "I have to do something, Sokka." she whispered weakly.

"Mai." Sokka grabbed her hand, and Mai didn't have the energy to pull away. "All of this happened, what, less than three months ago? You went through a traumatic experience. Your grief and memory is still fresh. Please…" Sokka looked at Suki as if for support, even though his girlfriend was mostly lost in this conversation. "Please, Mai. This is triggering for you. Don't force yourself to do it, let us help you."

"I don't need help. I'm not weak."

Suki rolled her eyes. "Mai, listen to me." She leaned forward. "I have no idea what Sokka is talking about, but I do know that no one thinks you're weak. And anyone who does is a fucking moron. But asking for help isn't weak."

Mai raised her eyebrows, which made Suki feel a little more at ease. That was a much more recognizable Mai. She continued. "I'm serious, Mai!" Suki folded her arms. "Asking for help or needing help is just a part of life. Just like you asked Zuko for help with these rebels in the district because you couldn't do it on your own."

"Okay, I'm done with the lesson." Mai waved her hand. A bit of color was coming back to her cheeks now. "Can we move on?"

A blood curdling scream caused them all to jump up. Suki whipped out her fans immediately, and Sokka drew his blade. Within seconds, Mai had stood up and had knives clutched in her hands. Mai wobbled slightly, concerning the nurse, but they all lowered their weapons and stared in shock.

"Aang!" Sokka's surprise was short lived, and he quickly scowled, stomping over to Aang's bed. "You almost made me shit my pants! Don't DO that!"

Suki rushed over to him. "You're awake? What - how...are you…"

"Agni save me…" Aang fell back on the bed, curling into a ball. "What happened?"

"You screamed."

Suki elbowed Sokka in the stomach. "Before that, you dumbass."

"Oh," He wheezed. "I don't know."

Aang looked at the two women hopefully, and Suki and Mai exchanged glances. "Um," Suki began, "We were hoping you could tell us."

The Avatar squinted up at them. " I don't know, I was barely awake for a minute before something made me fall over and go to sleep. That's all I remember."

Mai cursed under her breath. "How did you wake up? They said no one could wake up without the cure." Mai turned to Suki. "Do you think they were bluffing? Or could this just be an Avatar thing?"

Sokka sat on the side of Aang's bed, frowning in concern. His friend had laid back down and was curled up as if in pain. "Aang, what's wrong?"

"My back…" Aang groaned, rolling over slightly. "I had this...vision? I think I might have been in the spirit world. I could breathe underwater, but my past lives kept telling me I had to rise or something. But my back kept hurting so badly…" Aang shuddered. "It's like I can still feel it. I thought I was going to die."

"Your back?" Sokka blinked. "Like, where your lightning scar is?"

"Yeah."

Suki sat next to Sokka, her brows furrowing. "Well, it must mean something, right?" she asked, looking around at the others. "Why else would you have that vision before waking up? They said none of you would ever wake up without the cure."

Sokka thought for a moment before snapping his fingers. "Aang was healed by that special water!"

Aang's eyes widened. "You're right! What if that could wake them up?" He looked around. "Where are we, anyway?"

"Bhang Chi." Mai supplied impatiently. "Sokka, what kind of water are you talking about?"

"Water from the North Pole," he explained. "From their spirit oasis."

Mai looked at Suki. "We could use this to our advantage. That's the only lead we have so far. If we bring it up to them and watch their reactions, we could determine whether or not it's worth looking into."

Suki thought to herself. "That's not a bad idea." She admitted, standing. "Let's keep the fact that Aang woke up to ourselves."

Mai nodded curtly, and the two women began to walk back out the door when Aang cleared his throat. "Um, guys? I mean, girls? I mean…" Aang gave up trying to find the right words. "What's going on?"

"Sokka," Mai ordered, "You fill him in. Suki and I will address the maggots in the cellar."

Aang's face twisted into even more of a confused expression. "That sounds gross. How are maggots going to help?"

They all ignored him. Sokka hesitated for a moment before asking. "Are you sure you want to go see them again?"

Mai frowned, turning and opening the door to the hallway. "I'll be fine."

Suki closed the door behind her, blowing a kiss on her way out.

The men were brought back into the hall, at Suki's suggestion. It was closer to the infirmary, in case Mai needed to leave. A few guards as well as Kyoshi warriors stood around the bounty hunters, and the rest of Suki's warriors stood off to the side. Jet stood amongst them, clearly bored.

An uncomfortable silence dragged through the large chamber. Without speaking, Mai suddenly flung her knives toward the men, and they embedded into the ground between all five of the men's knees. A few of them whimpered softly.

"Tell me what you know about spirit water." Suki commanded simply.

The men looked at their leader, who's eyes widened for a moment before he quickly regained composure. "What's that?" he asked, trying to smooth over his mistake. But the damage was already done.

Suki knelt in front of him. "Tell me how to get spirit water."

The cocky demeanor was gone from the man's eyes, replaced with rage and confusion. He glared at her for a moment, his mouth moving oddly while closed.

Suki barely drew one of her fans in time to intercept the bullet of spit. It hit the metal fan with an echoing splatter, and she closed her eyes, taking a breath to maintain her impassiveness. Thankful she had avoided the man spitting on her face, Suki wiped the fluid onto one of the other bounty hunter's shoulders before sheathing her fan. "This is your last chance."

"I'm not tellin'!" the man snarled. Suki felt a small swell of pride at the dismay in his eyes. She held the cards, now.

All except for one...

"Spirit water?"

Suki and Mai both turned to glare at Jet, who folded his arms. "Why interrogate them about spirit water when you can just go get some yourself?" he asked, unbothered.

Mai and Suki exchanged glances. "If it's so easy," Suki snapped jabbing her finger toward him, "why don't YOU go across the world and get some!"

Jet blinked a few times. "Across the world? What are you talking about? I know there's business here, Rheit would talk about it all the time."

Mai's eyes narrowed even further. "...business, huh?"

"Actually…" Jet stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I think I know someone who moved their business here after their town was overtaken by our - I mean, the other rebel forces. The herbalist that helped me heal from my paralysis. She'll definitely have some."

Mai stepped forward, glaring. "Are you sure she's here? Or are you just wasting my time?"

Jet put his hands up in a casual manner. "Last time I checked, she said she was moving to the district capital. That's here, right?" Mai didn't answer, so Jet just continued. "I can take you there, I'm pretty sure I can find it once I get into town."

Mai glanced at Suki. "Would you be willing to go into town with him?"

Suki scowled at Jet, who just winked at her slyly. "We'll be back as soon as possible."

o0o0o

Suki was bored. The first few times Jet had stopped random, innocent people to interrogate, she had been utterly confused by his questions. "Have you seen a woman? What about a shop? Are there any stores around here with turtle ducks on them? Any good herbalists around here?" Every person seemed to point him down yet ANOTHER street, and the process would repeat.

And repeat.

And repeat.

"Jet, I swear to the spirits that if you're wasting my time -" Suki warned, her voice low.

Jet cut her off. "Don't worry, I think I see it up ahead!"

Suki scowled. He was much too happy for her taste. "Finally." She muttered.

The shop didn't seem anything to make a fuss about - a sign hung outdoors that said, "Mama's Pond" and it was inconspicuously, almost depressingly small. Jet grinned when he saw the sign, which was carved out of wood.

Suki squinted. "So that's the turtle duck you were harassing everyone about?"

"Yeah, she loves them!" He was uncharacteristically happy, and it was a bit...concerning. "Come on!"

Suki rolled her eyes, following him into the shop. The door hadn't even swung shut behind her when she was hit with the intense smells and colors.

It was magic.

Everywhere she looked there were walls and walls of bottles. Bottles of strange liquids, multicolored and unique in texture, rows upon rows of them. Suki's mouth fell open as she stopped to gawk, completely oblivious to the woman behind the counter.

The counter wasn't a typical shopkeeper's bar. It was in the shape of a "U", and only one of the sides was used as a counter for buying and selling. The other two sides were clearly meant for making - small cauldrons set on top of small, contained fires, different sorts of tools and ingredients, and bottles.

LOTS of bottles.

The woman who stood behind the counter had her back turned to them, stirring a cauldron slowly. She hummed to herself, taking out the stirring spoon and putting a lid on the pot, turning around. "Welcome to Mama's Pond, how may I he-" She stopped short, eyes widening. "...Jet?"

The fighter opened his arms wide, grinning like an absolute idiot. "Hey, Utana!"

The woman stared at him for a moment before rushing around the counter. Suki's hands instinctively moved toward her weapons, but she felt silly after the woman threw her arms around him. "Jet, what are you doing here?" She pulled herself back, looking at him up and down. "You've continued fighting? Did the treatment work?"

"It worked like a charm." Jet replied, gesturing at himself proudly. "It's almost like I never went to Ba Sing Se!"

The woman laughed softly. Jet turned around. "Suki, this is Utana! She's an herbalist from the Earth Kingdom territories who helped me heal before moving here."

Utana bowed, smiling broadly. "It's very nice to meet you, Suki!"

Suki bowed as well. "It's an honor, Utana."

The woman looked at her with interest, and Suki studied her with just as much intensity. She had never seen an Earth Kingdom woman with golden eyes before. Did she have Fire Nation heritage?

"So…" Utana looked between Suki and Jet. "Is this your girlfriend?"

Jet's eyes widened. "W-what? No! I mean, she's-"

"I'm his parole officer." Suki interrupted with a huff. She folded her arms tightly across her chest. "Here to keep him out of trouble. And keep him on task." She glared pointedly at him.

The corner's of Utana's mouth twitched. "I see." She walked back behind her counter. "I assume that means you're not here to stay, Jet?"

"No, sadly." Jet leaned against one of the shelves, sighing dramatically. "We're on an important mission. Sent from the Governor herself. Top secret stuff. Super important."

Utana raised her eyebrows. "You, working with the Governor? HERself?" She put her hands on her hips. "Who are you and what have you done with Jet!"

He laughed lightheartedly, but Suki cut straight to the chase. "Governor Mai." She nodded, still eyeing the bottles along the walls. "We're here for spirit water."

Utana's eyes widened for a moment before she glared at Suki, hissing. She glanced at the door quickly. Jet shot Suki an 'I can't believe you just did that, so embarrassing…' look. Utana raced over and locked the entrance.

"What's going on?" Suki asked defensively.

Utana closed the shutters for good measure, too."You can't just go around saying stuff like that so loudly!" She resumed her place behind the desk, shaking her head. "You could get us all arrested! Or you could get me killed!"

Suki stared at her blankly, "Who would kill you over WATER?"

Utana and Jet exchanged a glance, and Jet whistled. "Do you seriously not know?" he asked Suki, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"What are you talking about?" Suki snapped.

"I told you I could get you some spirit water," Jet smirked, gesturing around them. "I never said it would be legal."

Suki simply stared at him. "...is spirit water...illegal?"

"Not exactly." Utana got out a mortar and pestle and began to crush up a few leaves. "It's illegal to use spirit water without explicit permission, though. From the Northern Water Tribe. It's international law."

"So…" Suki closed her eyes. "How do you have it? Is it smuggled here?"

Jet let out a bark of laughter. "It's smuggled everywhere! Besides haze, it's probably one of the most highly dealt drugs on the planet!"

"So it's used as a drug?"

"It's used as a medicine." Utana explained. She dipped her hand in a bit of water and sprinkled a few drops onto the leaves before continuing to mash them up... "And if you know how to use it, it can cure nearly anything."

"It also has some...other effects, if taken regularly." Jet added. Suki motioned for him to continue, so he relented. "If you take spirit water consistently, it can slow the aging process by increasing the speed at which your body heals itself."

"Wow." Suki leaned on the counter, processing. "...how do we not know about this?"

Utana snorted. "Because it's a guarded secret."

"You two seem pretty free about it."

"I trust Jet." Utana said simply. "And if this truly is an important mission, Jet's doing it for the right reasons, too."

Suki shrugged. "I suppose so. Why do people keep it so secret? It's not like haze is a secret."

"Because haze is a drug for everyone." Jet replied, as if it were obvious. "Spirit water is only known and available to the elites of the world."

"The elites, huh?" Suki raised her eyebrows at him. "So how do you know about it, then?"

Jet's face fell into a glare, and Utana giggled at him. "He knows about it through me," She explained. "Right?"

"You introduced me to it," He said gruffly. "When I joined Rheit, I was one of the leaders of the spirit trade in our area."

Utana backed up suddenly, and her face turned white. "Rheit?" She whispered, frozen. Jet nodded, and Utana shook her head frantically. "Jet, you need to get out of that mess NOW. While you still can."

"Get out of that gang?" Jet snorted, unsheathing his hooked swords for a moment. Suki growled, wondering to herself why she had allowed him to bring his weapons. "I'm definitely not a part of that group anymore, Utana. I killed Rheit's brother."

Utana gasped again, and Suki was fairly certain she was going to suck all of the air out of the tiny room. "Agni save me, Jet, what have you done? They'll hunt you down for the rest of your life!"

"Fine by me." Jet shrugged, putting his blade away. "How do you know about them, anyway?"

Utana opened her mouth to speak, hesitated, and then seemed to settle on an answer. "I've had a very interesting life of unique experiences."

Jet and Suki stood, waiting to hear more, but Utana simply returned to grinding leaves into paste. Suki sighed heavily.

"Look." Suki slammed her hand down on the counter. Utana glanced up at her in annoyance at this interruption. "Enough with all this - we need the water."

"I could give you something more specific, if you explain the predicament." Utana suggested helpfully, pouring the ground leaves into her cauldron and stirring.

"They're asleep." Jet answered before Suki could consider her options. "Three people, all benders, all about our age."

Utana nodded. "What's the rush with this? Do you need something less efficient but quick, or -"

"We need something that wakes them up as quickly as possible." Suki replied curtly. "We need to make sure Zuko is up before anyone knows he's here." Suki glanced at Utana. "Don't tell anyone that."

Utana just stared at her. "...Are you speaking of Fire Lord Zuko?"

"Yes, of course."

Utana's eyes seemed to unfocus for a few moments, she took a step back from the counter. "He's here?"

"Yes." Jet replied, concerned. "Utana, what's wrong."

The woman came back to herself and shook her head to clear it. "Oh, nothing! She said cheerfully. "So, they're unconscious?"

"The criminals claim they'd sleep until they finally die, but never wake up without the cure." Suki wracked her head, trying to remember if there was anything else. "I think that's it…"

"Baize." Utana nodded, as if this made complete sense. "It's a poison, made of a mixture of multiple ingredients that are incredibly hard to travel and collect, but it's becoming more and more popular in more elite circles."

Suki leaned onto the counter expectantly. "Can you fix it?"

"Of course I can fix it!" Utana scoffed, bustling around to one of the shelves. "I'm not useless!" She hummed to herself for a few moments before grabbing two different bottles, turning, and placing them on the counter in front of Suki. "This light green one here," Utana patted the larger bottle, "Is a slower acting agent, but there are little to no side effects. This, however-" Utana gestured to what looked like a yellowish puss. "Is a much, much faster acting formula. It does tend to cause headaches, delusions, paranoia, hallucinations, nausea,, possible fever -

"What?" Suki backed away from that bottle. "That sounds terrible! Why can't you fix it so that it works fast and doesn't give them the plague, for Agni's sake!"

"The slower agent works all of the drugs out of their system at the same time." Utana explained. "The faster one only focuses on a few of the drugs - the ones that prevent you from waking up. When they wake up, the rest of the drugs have to be cycled out on their own."

Suki frowned. "How long does that take?"

"Oh, it depends on the dosage." Utana waved her hand dismissively. "And the person. And then it's also very random."

Suki looked away from the herbalist, staring at the bottles. "...how do you give it to them?" Suki picked up the yellow one. "Is it like a lotion that goes on a specific place? Or do they eat it?"

"They must consume it." Utana confirmed. Suki looked down again at the pale, crusted, yellow puss and resisted a gag.

"Okay…" Suki set the bottle back down, thinking for a moment. "We'll take five of each." She began to reach in her pocket for the money. "How much will that be?"

"Oh, no need for that!" Utana protested, smiling. "It's on me!"

Jet gawked. "But, Utana, that's a lot of ingredients -"

"I'm buying a lot from you, please let me compensate?" Suki insisted, holding out some coins.

"No." Utana said firmly, putting the bottles in a small woven basket and handing them to Suki. "I know it's important that you wake these people up, and I want to do my part to help. There's no need to take pity on me. If I need money, I'll ask for it."

Suki began to protest, but Utana pushed her toward the door. "I'll be here if you need anything!" She called, waving as they walked away.

"I'm not coming by here with you again if I can help it." Sui folded her arms, walking what she THOUGHT was the right way.

"Man, you're in a foul mood." Jet huffed, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "What's your problem?"

"Besides you being a suspicious, annoying brat?" She snapped, grabbing one of his hooked swords despite his protest. "Well, for starters, you were the first heartbreak of one of my best friends -"

"What!?" Jet cried, folding his arms. "That is NOT what happened, I didn't mean for -"

"You make excuses all the time, too." Suki continued pointedly. Jet scowled. "You really hurt her, Jet." Suki said after a few moments, shaking her head. "You fucked up how she sees trust. I'm not going to act like you're some great guy or something when you did that to her." She stood up as tall as possible, straightening her spine. "If you work out things with Katara, then maybe I'll consider not beating your ass. Until then, I'm putting my sister-in-law first."

Jet's head snapped to look at her in surprise, the bottles in the basket he carried clanging slightly. "Sister-in-law?" He squeaked.

Suki paled, looking around quickly. They were still in the side street, and they were alone. She unsheathed her sword and shoved Jet up against the wall, holding her blade against his neck. "Don't you DARE," she growled, "tell ANYONE about that. Got it?"

Jet rolled his eyes. "Okay, I got it. Secret engagement, blah blah blah."

Suki glared at him for a moment before letting him go, sheathing her katana.

"I am gonna tell Katara that I knew before she did, though."

Suki growled, shoving him. "Don't you DARE!" Jet just laughed hysterically.

It was a long way home.

o0o0o

Katara's eyes slid open blurrily. She was in a room, a white room, on a bed with white sheets. She sat up, groaning.

"Whoa, hey…" Someone ran over and sat on the bed. Suki. "Katara, take it easy…"

"Where…" Katara held her head in her hands. "Where am I?"

"Katara!" That was Aang's voice. "You're awake! We're in Bhang Chi, in the capitol building! Mai is the Governor now! And Suki went with Jet to go get some spirit water, and -"

"Shut up!" Suki hissed before putting her hand gently on Katara's arm. "Sokka went to the restroom, he'll be back in a moment."

"I'll be back for what - KATARA!"

She rubbed her eyes and looked up at the sound of her brother's voice. She immediately blinked and gasped. "No…"

Despite Suki's protests, Katara got up quickly. She grasped at her head as it throbbed suddenly, stumbling for a moment before continuing forward. She reached Sokka, grabbing his shoulders. "Who…" She croaked. "...who did this to you?"

Sokka frowned at his sister, grabbing her arms to help her stay upright. "Katara, I'm fine…"

Tears welled in his sister's eyes. "Come, let me heal it…" She pulled Sokka down onto the nearest empty bed to sit. "Someone give me some water, quickly!"

Sokka pushed her hands away. "Katara…" he stared at her, his eyes flickering. "What...what's wrong with you? What are you talking about?"

Katara let out a small sob as she trailed her fingers across his neck. "They...they BURNED you!" she cried fiercely. "Someone, get me water!"

"Katara, Sokka isn't hurt."

She looked up at Aang and nearly choked on another sob. "Agni...Agni, no…"

Aang glanced at Sokka, who shook his head. What's going on?

"Katara…" Aang stepped forward hesitantly. "I'm fine…"

She reached up and grabbed his arm, studying it with pained eyes. "Agni, Aang, who did this to you? Get me some water!" Katara yelled.

"Katara, I think you might be hallucinating." Suki lay a hand on Katara's forearm, "Whatever you're seeing, it's not real."

"Get me some water," Katara stood up frantically, pushing Suki back down onto the bed. "I can heal you, I can heal all of you. Sokka, please - please, hang on, don't move your neck very much okay? Lie down, Aang, and stay still...I'm so sorry I let this happen to you…" She fussed over the sheets, which she pulled over Aang's legs. "Suki, I don't know if I can stop the bleeding…." Katara's eyes widened, and her breath was short. "There's so much of it, there's so much blood, Agni - Suki, how are you still awake?"

"Katara." Suki grabbed her by the shoulders. "I am FINE. There is NO blood. You're hallucinating because of some medication we gave you."

"That's nonsense." Katara forced her to lie down. "Stay there, and try to put pressure on that wound."

Katara bustled away, wincing at her throbbing head, and Sokka immediately sat up. "This isn't good." he whispered, staring after her worriedly.

Katara rushed back in with a bowl full of water. "What are you doing up?" She cried, bending the water into her hands and letting the bowl drop to the floor. "You could make it so much worse!"

"Katara…" Aang stared at her helplessly. "We're not-"

She looked over at Aang, and also seemed to finally notice the other occupied beds. She stumbled over to the first one, choking on her own breaths. "Zuko…" She rolled him over slightly. Her stomach churned, and she let out an involuntary sob of despair. "No...no, no, no, no, no…"

"Katara-" Sokka tried to put his hand on her shoulder, but Katara shrugged it away. She ripped the sheets away from Zuko and began to undress his shirt, her hands trembling.

"Whoa there, tiger." Suki chuckled in a mixture of concern and amusement, trying to pull Katara away. "Leave him alone, he's asleep."

Once Zuko's chest was exposed, Katara bent the water around her hands and desperately began to try and heal him. Her hands traveled across his scar and she continued to weep, the tears falling and falling. "No, Zuko - no, please wake up...please…"

Zuko coughed, and Katara gasped, pulling away. "Zuko? Oh, Agni - Zuko, don't move, the burn is really bad, it's really really bad -"

"Katara?" Zuko's eyes opened slowly, and he squinted around in confusion. "Katara, what's wrong?"

"Stop moving!" Katara hissed, trying to continue to heal his chest. "The lightning did a lot of damage, and I'm trying - I'm trying, I'm so sorry -"

Zuko looked up in bewilderment at Suki, who just shook her head. "She's hallucinating."

"Katara." Zuko grabbed both of her hands, wincing. "Katara, listen to me."

"Let go!"

"Katara, I'm okay!"

"I have to heal you!"

Zuko pulled her into a hug, and she struggled at first, but she eventually gave in, sobbing into his chest. Sokka sat next to her and joined the hug. Suki and Aang wrapped their arms around them, too. Katara shook in the middle of them, heaving with gasped breaths and cries of dismay.

They just sat and held her.

She calmed down a bit, and once she pulled away, she glanced down at Zuko's chest. She blinked, placing her hand on it. "Where…" She looked around at the rest of her friends. "But...you were all…"

"You were hallucinating because of the medication, Katara." Sokka, who still had his arm around her, squeezed her shoulders. "We're all fine."

"Speak for yourself, Snoozles."

They all turned quickly to look a few beds away, where Toph had sat up, yawning. "I'm hungry as FUCK."


	9. Ghost of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They all have a meeting to discuss their next steps, and Jet angers a few people you wouldn't normally expect. Mai helps Aang search for answers about the Airbenders. Suki and Katara exchange some favors before Jet reluctantly leads Katara and Zuko through town - only to find themselves in another terrible mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, Lovelies! We're almost to chapter 10!  
> I wish I could with a new chapter at least once every week, and I promise I'm trying, but I'm also a full time student sooo...bear with me! This is STILL just an *unrevised* draft!  
> Please feel free to comment about any reactions you have! Comments and reactions make my day :)  
> I hope you enjoy chapter 9!
> 
> tw // ptsd/trauma, mentions of blood and injury

Zuko preferred meetings at circular tables. That way everyone could see each other, and no one felt as if there were “sides” to sit on.

Mai liked oval tables for meetings. They weren’t as jagged and divisive as rectangular tables, but they were much more clear as to who was in charge.

Toph preferred a rectangular table, where she could sit at the head of the meeting in a large, throne-like seat and force everyone to shut up.

“Shut UP!” Toph banged her hands on the oval table, causing the various cups along the edge to rattle. She sat next to Zuko, who scooted further around to get away from her, glaring.

Aang stood up from his seat across from Toph. “This is important!” He jabbed his finger down onto the table. “There might be a way to rebuild my culture - bring my people back - without me having to have a bunch of kids! It might be able to happen sooner, on a bigger scale, and if they secretly have passed down this secret for generations, who knows what sort of knowledge they may have about the old customs I’m not aware of! We need to look for answers.”

“I’ll make sure to look as soon as we get back to the palace -” Zuko began, but this wasn’t good enough for Aang.

“No!” he protested, sitting down heavily. “We need to send out massive searches of all the archives across the world! We need everyone on this!”

Mai, at the other end of the table, grimaced. “Aang,” she interjected slowly, “It sounds like you’re forgetting a key detail here...the current systems of power haven’t been our best of friends.”

Aang blinked a few times before wilting slightly. “...but we have to -”

“We’ll find them, Aang!” Katara put her hand on his shoulder. “We promise! But that’s not the only matter at hand right now, and we’re trying to balance multiple things at the same time.”

“We’re not putting this on a back burner.” Toph put one of her feet up on the table, causing Mai to roll her eyes. “But if you just run around screaming all this stuff, people are going to lock down and get defensive.” Toph shrugged. “We might as well shut down any hopes we have of getting answers for ANY of this, if that’s the way you want to -”

Aang closed his eyes, taking a big, calming breath. “You all are right.” He admitted, opening his eyes again. “I’m sorry. I’m just...I’m a bit overwhelmed.”

“I don’t blame you.” From the corner of the room, Nasoki shook her head. “That sounds so emotionally draining…”

“Before we take any steps,” Katara piped up, standing, “I want to meet this herbalist.”

Suki looked over at Jet expectantly, then scowled. “Wake up you fucking idiot!” She snapped, elbowing him in the ribs.

“OW, hey, come on, that was SO uncalled for-”

Jet caught Zuko’s eye, who was sitting directly across the table from him, and stopped short. His eyes narrowed. “What are you looking at?” He growled, baring his teeth.

Zuko folded his arms. “I’m looking at the lowlife who has the audacity to sleep during an important meeting that we GRACIOUSLY allowed him to attend.”

“Well, maybe your meetings are BORING!” Jet snarled.

Zuko leaned forward menacingly. “Do you really want to push your luck right now? Because I don’t have the patience for -”

“Ugh, just fucking kiss already.” Toph complained, throwing her hands up. Zuko and Jet both sat as far back in their chairs as possible as Suki and Sokka doubled over with laughter. Katara folded her arms, glaring around at her friends.

“Enough!”

The water in their glasses sloshed, and everyone froze, their gazes fixating on Katara. She had stood taller, as if someone had straightened her spine, and her eyes were as cold as ice. She fixed them upon Jet, who flinched. “Take me to the herbalist.” she repeated, and a chilling breeze blew across the room. Katara saw the looks on everyone’s faces and closed her eyes, taking a breath. The temperature rose back to normal.

“I’m sorry…” Katara pressed a few fingers to her temples. “I’m just...I’m just very overwhelmed.”

Aang exchanged a knowing look with Sokka. “...you seem...angry.”

“That too.” Katara sighed, readjusting her water pouch, which slung across her shoulder. “Jet,” She asked again, in a much calmer state. “Please, take me to your friend.”

Jet rolled his eyes dramatically, but couldn’t help but smile as he stood, a slight bit of prep in his step. “I guess if you insist for me to go, I have no choice, now, do I?”

Katara rolled her eyes. “Thanks, Jet. I’ll meet you in front of the Manor after lunch today?”

Jet folded his arms. “I guess that fits my schedule.”

“I’m coming with you, too.”

Jet was scowling before his gaze returned to the Fire Lord, who glared right back at him in determination. “We don’t need your help!”

“You’re right.” Zuko nodded. “Katara doesn’t need my help. I’d like to go in order to thank this woman for her generosity - she may have saved our lives.”

Jet’s eyes narrowed for a few moments as he studied Zuko. “I would never guess you were a Firebender.”

Zuko blinked in surprise. “W-what?”

“You’re too nice.” Jet sat back in his seat, shaking his head. “That’s just not how Firebenders are.”

“In your experience.” Katara added, folding her arms.

Jet opened his mouth to argue, but was cut off by a small burst of flame out of the corner of his eye. Aang held the fire gingerly in his hand, staring questioningly at Jet. “Would you guess that I was a Firebender?” Aang asked, closing his hand into a fist and extinguishing the flames with a hiss.

After a moment, Jet shook his head. “That’s different. You’re the AVATAR. You’re not Fire Nation - you’re an Air Nomad.”

“Then what am I?”

They all turned to look back in the corner of the room, where Nasoki stood. She winced slightly under the onslaught of stares, but she recovered quickly and stood tall. “What about me?” She asked again.

Jet glanced at Aang, who shrugged. “What…” he cleared his throat. “What do you mean?”

“Well, if you base whether people are good or bad off of where they’re from, how do you decide where they’re from?” Nasoki folded her arms across her chest. Jet’s face screwed up into even more confusion, so she pressed on. “I mean, Jet - you technically have lived in Fire Nation territory for most of your life, yet you have never considered yourself Fire Nation.”

“That’s different!” Jet stood fiercely, knocking his chair backwards in his haste. “We were completely colonized! That doesn’t make us a part of the Fire Nation!”

“You’re right.” Nasoki agreed. Without bothering to ask, she pulled out an empty chair from next to Mai and sat in it. “So, what about me? I’m a girl who grew up in the Fire Nation, and my father was Fire Nation, but my mother was not.”

The room fell silent. “Your mother…” Suki stared at her warrior. “...wasn’t Fire Nation? How was she allowed inside the capitol?”

“It was a secret.” Nasoki shrugged, purposefully trying to stay as disconnected as possible from the memories resurfacing in her mind. “No one knew where she came from. Not even us. Not even my father.”

“No way…” Jet turned to Suki in astonishment. “You let FIRE NATION citizens be Kyoshi Warriors?”

“Yes.” Suki’s chin raised a bit higher. “I did.”

Jet’s eyes narrowed, scowling. “That’s a disgrace to -”

“No, Jet.” She interrupted, turning in her chair so that her whole body faced him. “The Kyoshi Warriors are a group of non-bending women who devote themselves to learning the fighting styles of ALL cultures, and we use that knowledge and skill to protect ALL people.”

Jet’s eyes flashed. “You just...forgive them so easily?”

“‘Who, Jet?” Suki snapped, her composure finally breaking. “Who am I supposed to be forgiving? Zuko has more than made up for his mistakes, which he made as an ignorant and abused child. Mai, Ty Lee, and Nasoki only did what they thought was right, or did what they were told. The people inside the Fire Nation didn’t know the truth about what they were doing to us, and once they realized what they were doing was wrong-”

“Didn’t your precious Fire Lord over here almost burn down your village?” Jet sniffed, pointing casually over to Zuko.

Suki’s eyes widened. “Don’t bring that into this!” She snarled, glowering. “He was a child! He’s saved me more than enough times to make up for it! Kyoshi Island gets more aid from the Fire Nation now than we do from Ba Sing Se!” She slapped her hand on the table. “Do you expect everyone to be perfect, Jet?”

He glared at her for a moment before responding. “If they really were good people, they would have fixed things.”

Suki stood, her chair falling over with a bang. “As if you’ve fixed things?”

“At least I’ve tried!” Jet shot back, his hands balling into fists. “I watched them burn down my village, and there’s nothing left for them to send aid to! My parents DIED in that fire!”

“Is Zuko supposed to fix that somehow?” Suki snapped. “Are you expecting him to bring your parents back?”

Jet shot out of his seat. “You don’t know what it’s like!” He shouted, slamming his fist on the back of his chair. “To lose your parents, to know they were KILLED by THEM -”

“You think I DON’T KNOW?” Suki’s voice rose, shaking almost as hard as her hands. “At least you didn’t have to SEE it happen! I WATCHED as Fire Nation soldiers slaughtered my parents, and they tried to kill me, too! I had to SEE IT! I was only seven years old!” Tears welled in her eyes, which didn’t make her look any less dangerous, and she stabbed a quaking finger into Jet’s chest. “And you have the nerve, the fucking AUDACITY. to say I don’t know what it’s like? NO, Jet. I do know what it’s like, I just don’t let it control me!”

The tears began to fall - the dam finally broke. Suki’s eyes and cheeks burned as they slid down her neck and dripped onto the floor. “I don’t want to be driven by revenge, or by power, or by greed! I want to be BETTER than that! Better than THEM!”

She had lost all control. Her voice was cracking, her tears were dripping onto the floor, - she had the eyes of a cornered child but a mad woman burned in her soul. “So don’t you DARE tell me I don’t understand! I’ve been through HELL, and there’s no way I’m going to let YOU-” Suki pushed forward, her finger still on Jet’s chest, and he fell back even farther. “-tell me what I should or shouldn’t be doing! Zuko may have done some bad things, but he’s more than made up for the things he’s done for me. You have NO idea what it was like at the Boiling Rock. NONE!” She gestured wildly. “And he risked his life to help save me! He made my village a priority! He became a FRIEND to me, DAMMIT! This was the first group of people I met later in life who got to know me and liked me for who I am, who support me, and who fight for me.”

Sokka stood up, his eyes wide as he watched his girlfriend breath unsteadily. The fury in her voice was such a contrast from the terror in her eyes. “I would pick Zuko to be there for me over you ANY DAY, Jet!” She screamed, her entire body trembling with emotion. “Because I KNOW he’ll fight for me, I KNOW he cares, I KNOW he’s a GOOD PERSON, and I can’t say ANY of that about YOU, so you better SHUT THE FUCK UP.”

Suki punched the nearest wall. A low, raw crack echoed through the room and dust billowed out of the indent, trickling from the wound. Suki stood there, her fist still embedded in the wall, breathing heavily for a few moments before pulling it away.

“Spirits, it’s bleeding!”

There was only one person in the room who wasn’t paralyzed with shock or intimidation. Katara had gotten up out of her chair immediately, rushing to Suki’s side and grabbing her wrist. “Suki, stop, let me look at it -”

No one spoke else. Even Jet was frozen - he glanced from her hand to her face and back again, eyes wide. Finally, Sokka continued to walk toward them. “Suki…” he began gently. Conversationally. Katara turned toward her brother’s voice and their eyes met, the identical shade of brilliant blue reflecting the worry they felt back at each other. Katara still held Suki’s wrist, where blood continued to fall.

Suki tugged her arm away, still staring at the ground with unfocused eyes. Katara looked anxiously at the dent in the wall, dotted with blood, and down to the floor where the wound steadily dripped in a scarlet puddle. Suki blinked a few times before beginning to back away from Jet. “Oh, Agni...Agni, I’m so sorry…” she looked at the wall as if to see if the dent was really there before making eye contact with Sokka. His eyes were wide, mouth open, Suki let out a barely audible whimper before turning back to Jet. “I’m so, so sorry…”

Katara moved to follow her, but Sokka was a few steps ahead of her. “Let me go with her,” he whispered, catching the door behind his girlfriend. “You can heal her later. Stay here so I know where to find you.” He ran off after her, the door thumping closed behind him.

Jet stared after them. “I just don’t understand how she could forgive the Fire Nation, after all they’ve done, and they haven’t - OUCH!” The spoon laying in front of Jet flew up and smacked him in the face. He blinked, sitting back and cursing wildly. “Agni, what the FU-”

“Listen up, Spikey.” Toph snapped, finally taking her foot down from the table. “I’m going to help you out, since you clearly haven’t thought any of this through.” She continued before Jet could argue. “What, did you think a few traumatized teenagers were going to be able to just waltz into the Fire Nation and fix a century’s worth of oppression in a few years?”

Jet lowered his eyes, thinking. “I guess not, but that’s no-”

“Exactly.” Toph interrupted. She had bent her own silverware into a liquid state and was playing with it, like she always did. “Now shut the fuck up.”

Katara pulled Suki’s chair back up to sit on it. “Jet, I know you’re angry. And I know you want justice.”

He looked up at her, preparing to argue, but his burning eyes were met with her compassionate ones. Empathy. “We’re trying our best to fix things,” She continued, sitting back in the seat. “And if you want to help, that would be great. But you have to stop judging people based on where they’re from and what element they bend - people like Zuko and Mai want to make things right. They can’t do that if you don’t give them a chance.”

Jet flicked his eyes over to Zuko, who was staring back at him, before returning his gaze to Katara. “I’ll take you two to see Utana later.” He said curtly before standing up, pushing in his chair, and storming out of the room.

The rest of the group looked at one another in stunned silence. After a few moments, Zuko spoke quietly. “He has every right to be angry.”

Katara frowned. “Oh, of course he does!” she assured him. “But there’s a difference between holding people accountable and going so far as to prevent any positive change.”

“Katara is right, Zuko.” Aang nodded, turning to his friend. “We’re all honest with you, and you can always count on Jet for brutal honesty. If you’re doing something we don’t think is right, we’ll tell you.” He paused for a moment. “...But Jet is blinded by his pain. His motivation isn’t to make things better, it’s revenge.”

“What’s wrong with that?” Katara asked, the words slipping out of her mouth before she could stop them. Aang glanced up at her in surprise.

“...His motivation isn’t to do good.” Aang replied, a bit shocked. “How can that sort of motivation be healthy?”

Mai huffed. “The way it’s consumed his entire life, I’d say he’s just shoved all the pain away and let it fester while masking it with anger. But,” She looked at Aang pointedly, “we shouldn’t make generalizations.”

Aang frowned at her, opening his mouth to argue, but Katara cut him off. “Aang, I agree that revenge isn’t a good motivation for Jet, but that’s because he doesn’t know what he needs.”

“What…” Aang crossed his arms. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means he needs answers.” Zuko sighed, leaning his arms against the table. “He needs closure of some sort. It doesn’t have to be revenge, that’s just the easiest to think of.”

“It’s also okay for people to feel angry at injustice.” Katara nodded at her own words, eyes blazing. “EVERYONE should feel angry about injustice, much less when it’s personal.”

Aang sat back in his chair thoughtfully. “It’s like all those years ago, when someone had taken Appa.” He mentioned, grimacing at the very memory. “It made me feel...scared. But so scared that I was willing to be a bit mean to anyone who got in my way.”

The door creaked open as Sokka’s head poked through. “Katara,” He whispered loudly, leaning on the doorframe. “You really need to come now.”

He didn’t wait for Katara’s answer, immediately retreating, the door closing behind him. Katara sighed, rolling her eyes. “Great, now I have to go FIND them. Look,” She looked at Aang, laying a hand on his arm. “I know Jet is...struggling. But we’ve all had our moments of fault, and we shouldn’t judge him without giving him a chance.”

Zuko sighed, serving himself some food halfheartedly from the center of the table. Mai raised her eyebrows. “What happened between you two?” She asked, folding her arms.

Zuko paused, about to take a bite. He put his food down. “We traveled to Ba Sing Se on the same boat.” He played with his food, avoiding eye contact with anyone. “We got along well. I helped him steal some of the better food in the kitchens to feed those of us that couldn’t afford it.” Zuko brought his cup to his lips, taking a gentle sip of the hot tea. “But somehow he figured out that my Uncle and I were Firebenders...I think he saw Uncle heating his tea with his hands. He attacked us while we were working, we fought, and he got arrested. I never saw him again until now.”

Katara’s eyes widened. “Back in Chan Lin, you said something about him inviting you to join the Freedom Fighters...was that...true?”

“Yeah.” Zuko replied blandly. He took a large bite, as if to say he was done speaking on the subject.

“Well,” Mai sniffed, “it makes sense, then, why he’s so volatile towards you. He showed you a lot of trust, and then you turned out to be a Firebender, and then you turned out to be the Fire Lord. To him that must be equivalent to the ultimate betrayal.”

“But what am I supposed to DO about it?” Zuko snapped, slamming his hand on the table and causing his plate to rattle. “He’s mad at me for just...just being myself! I’m doing my best, what else am I supposed to do!”

“That’s all you can do, Zuko.” Aang assured him. “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to Jet.”

“No,” Katara said quickly, “I’ll talk to him.”

Aang narrowed his eyebrows. “Why can’t I talk to him?”

“The real question is...why does Sugar Queen want to talk to him?” Toph smirked, jutting her thumb toward Katara. “Are there some...old feelings coming up, Katara?”

The Waterbender gaspeed, slapping Toph’s shoulder. “Shut UP!” she hissed, glancing at Zuko. The Fire Lord had stopped chewing, wide eyed. Aang folded his arms, glaring at her questioningly. “Look, I just don’t think it’s a good idea for you to talk to him, okay?” Katara continued defensively. “Not yet.”

Aang took a breath, about to speak, but Katara anticipated his question. “Because you don’t understand the perspective he’s coming from. You may understand loss, but people deal with life differently, and I’m going to understand him a little better.” Katara sighed. “I’m just afraid you’ll make him more angry. Like you made me upset when Zuko was taking me to find my mother’s killer.”

Aang flinched, but still nodded. “Okay, Katara. I trust you.”

“Thanks, Aang.” She smiled at him, pushing her chair back and standing up. “I better go find Sokka and Suki before I get scolded.”

“You better run.” Toph advised, and Katara took note, wrenching the door open and flying down the hall.

As the door closed behind her, Aang turned to Zuko. “Are you sure we have to wait until we get back to the palace to look for those records?”

“I think that would be for the best.” Zuko nodded apologetically. “There aren’t any trustworthy people there right now that know how to access those information vaults.”

“You could always check here.” Mai suggested, standing and pushing in her seat, as well. Everyone looked at her quizzically, and she sighed in annoyance. “This has been my family house for centuries, before the districts were created.” She explained, “And my family has always worked for the Fire Lord. Until I was a young girl, my father’s job was to bargain and work with...people.” Mai grimaced at the thought of people. “He would protect the village and do odd jobs, bringing money in for the family.”

Zuko rested his chin on his hand. “Okay, and?”

“Many times, they were hired off the radar by the Fire Lord or other high ranking officials.” Mai pressed her lip into a thin line. “But it’s imperative that you document all contracts, especially from the Fire Lord and other high ranking officials.”

“Otherwise, they find out about it later and convict you.” Zuko finished, nodding in understanding. “If you have the proof, then no one can say it against the law, because the Fire Lord IS law.”

Mai bowed her head in shame. “We have a room full of such documents…” She sighed, leaning against the back of her chair. “A room my father introduced me to when I was fourteen. He said it was an honor and a duty to add more to the room.”

They sat in a numb silence for a few moments before Aang stood up, grabbing his staff. “Mai, can you show me this room?” He asked. “I want to look through it and see if I can find anything related to the Air Nomads.”

“Absolutely.” Mai pushed in her chair and led him outside. “Anything to do, please, being in this house automatically makes me bored.”

o0o0o

“Where should I start?”

Aang looked at Mai, completely overwhelmed. It was like a library of files, everywhere he looked. He wasn’t expecting this much…

Mai walked along the edge of the room, scanning the labels on the files. “Here!” She pointed. “This is the first Sozin’s Comet. From here going forward should be all of the documents that in any way involved my family - directly, indirectly, or even monetarily.”

Aang faltered. That was still over three quarters of the room. Still, he gathered himself and walked over to her, reading the labels where she was pointing until he found it. The label so clearly marked, it was almost hard to believe.

_ATTACK ON THE AIR TEMPLES_

Heart thumping in his chest, Aang pulled the file out and opened it. Mai hovered over his shoulder to read it.

_Matuko,_

_When the sun rises, we ride and slay the wind. The breezes that linger will hide in the shadows, so we must make the shadows our domain. Then we can eliminate them all and ensure that no storm befalls us again...we will drain the oceans to expose the typhoon when it attempts to arise. This will take time, but time is of the essence._

_Remember this: whether or not we bring life or death does nothing to stop reality. Regardless of our actions, the cycle of life will continue. We MUST be prepared._

_I’ll see you soon._

_His Imperial Highness, Fire Lord Sozin_

Aang stared at the page, processing. “This is talking about me, isn’t it?”

Mai took the paper from him, her eyebrows furrowed. “I...I think so.”

“Let’s go through it by sentence.” Aang began to pace. “What’s the first one?”

“When the sun rises, we ride and slay the wind.” Mai read, leaning against the shelf. “It sounds like they’re talking about Sozin’s comet. When the comet comes, they go and attack the Air Nomads.” Aang nodded in agreement, so Mai continued. “The breezes that linger will hide in the shadows, so we must make the shadows our domain.” She huffed. “That doesn’t sound evil or anything.”

Aang pressed his lips into a thin line. “I think he’s talking about the traveling Air Nomads.” he explained, his hands absentmindedly balling into fists. “I’m guessing ‘the shadows’ he’s referring to is the Earth Kingdom, where the Air Nomad tribes were allowed to wander their wildlands.”

Mai nodded slowly, her hand holding her chin in thought. “It sounds like this was their plan all along...colonize the Earth Kingdom territories so that they had easier access to those lands, and they could more easily corner the traveling Nomads.”

“Without as much opposition.” Aang added, his eyes dark. “What’s the next line?”

“Then we can eliminate them all and ensure that no storm befalls us again…” Mai’s eyes scanned the letter quickly. “...we will drain the oceans to expose the typhoon when it attempts to arise.” She looked up at Aang. “It sounds like they wanted to kill all the Air Nomads to make sure the Avatar was reborn, and then they talk about draining the oceans…”

Aang’s eyes widened. “The water tribes…” He realized, suddenly feeling nauseous as he thought of Katara and Sokka. “They weren’t strong enough to attack the Northern Water Tribe, but they took all of the Waterbenders from the South Pole.”

“My father always said the Fire Lord kept a close watch on the Northern Water Tribe…” Mai remembered, dread washing over her.

Aang rubbed his eyes. “Katara’s mother was killed because the Fire Nation had heard there was another Waterbender in the tribe, and her mother lied in order to protect her.”

Mai shook her head. “They were trying to push the cycle forward. They wanted to kill all the Air Nomads to make sure you died with them, then have all the Waterbenders under their control, and they already had most of the Earth Kingdom territories under occupation, as well.”

“They wanted to speed up the process.” The words felt artificial in Aang’s mouth. “They wanted a Fire Nation Avatar. Like their own personal weapon.”

After a few moments of heavy silence, Mai read the next line. “This will take time, but time is of the essence.” She frowned. “What is that about?”

“Maybe they wanted to avoid the Avatar getting old enough to train?” Aang suggested. “I don’t know. Maybe he’s just saying that their only chance of defeating the Air Nomads at the temples was to ambush them during Sozin’s Comet.”

“Maybe.” Mai agreed, eyes flitting down to the last few lines. “Remember this: whether or not we bring life or death does nothing to stop reality. Regardless of our actions, the cycle of life will continue. We MUST be prepared.”

“Well, that last bit is obviously talking about the Avatar cycle.” Aang paused, hesitating. “Well, actually, there is a way to stop the Avatar cycle, but I don’t know how common the knowledge of that is.”

“Well,” Mai put the file back where it had been. “It sounds like Sozin wasn’t aware.”

Aang chuckled. “Lucky me. But, that other sentence…” something nagged at him, bothering him. “Why was he saying that it doesn’t matter whether or not they bring life or death? Of course it matters!”

“He’s just trying to make excuses for what he did.” Mai walked forward, continuing to scan the labels on more documents. “He’s basically saying that the Avatar Cycle would continue anyway, so him speeding it up isn’t changing what would have already happened.”

Aang laughed bitterly. “Wow, that’s…”

“Evil?”

Aang winced at the harshness in which Mai said the word. “I was going to say childish.”

“Don’t sugar coat it.” Mai advised, turning to meet his eyes for a moment before continuing to read the labels. “It’s just evil”

“Yeah.” Aang looked at the rows and rows of letters. Rows and rows of letters that ruined people’s lives, ending them. “It is.”

Mai stopped reading the file labels. “Aang,” She asked hesitantly, looking back down. “Thanks for being there for me, those years when we both lived at the palace.

Aang blinked, taken aback. “What? Mai, of course! I’m always here for you!”

She chuckled a bit. “It might have seemed normal to you, but it wasn’t normal to me. You were one of the first people I ever talked to about...anything.”

“But…” Aang frowned. “We hardly talked.”

“Exactly.” Mai walked along the shelf. “It’s gotten a hell of a lot easier to talk about my emotions after spending time with June, since that was just how she was. But I still have no idea how to deal with them.”

“Hey, we all have our struggles.” Aang grabbed his staff and walked toward her. “I’m glad you’re not trying to hold everything in anymore. I know you’re in a terrible spot right now, but you honestly seem healthier than I ever remembered you.”

Mai looked down at her hands for a few moments before huffing with breathy laughter. “All I’m doing is talking to people about my problems,” She resumed her scanning of the files labels. “If anything, I just became more of a weight on everyone else. But yeah, at least I acknowledge I feel things now.” She shoved a file, which was sticking awkwardly out of the shelf, back into place a bit harsher than necessary. “I’ve just shits, giggles, and rainbows.”

Aang folded his arms. “You got to spend time away from your family, away from the expectations of your parents and the people around you.” he reminded her, going to a new shelf to look at the files. “And you met June at the same time. It was the perfect opportunity to learn more about yourself and start growing into the kind of person you want to be. Processing that with your friends, who CARE about you, by the way, doesn’t make you a burden.”

“Whatever you say, Aang.” Mai said unconvincingly.

Aang scowled. “Come on, Mai! Look how far you’ve come!”

“Yeah…” Mai’s eyes unfocused. “But even after I learned so much, here I am. Back in this place, expected to be a perfect Governor. I’m back in my godforsaken childhood home after requesting to become Governor early, even though as a child, I swore I would never become a politician.” Mai swore under her breath. “I’m right back where I started. And I don’t even have June with me anymore.”

Aang reached out to put his hand on Mai’s shoulder, but she pulled away. “I’m sorry, Aang, I didn’t mean to be…” She began, but the words left her before she could say them. “I need to take a walk.”

Aang stared after her as she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. She was so poised. If he hadn’t known her so well, if he hadn’t heard the pain in her voice only seconds before, he would have never guessed she was on the verge of emotional collapse.

o0o0o

Katara opened the door to the room she was fairly certain was Sokka and Suki’s guest chambers. She heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the two of them inside, sitting on the edge of the large bed. She let the door fall shut behind her as she jogged into the room. “I’m sorry I’m late, I was-”

Sokka looked up at the sound of her voice and immediately sprang up, running over to the nightstand. He grabbed a basin, prepared with water, and held it toward his sister. “Katara, thank the spirits - please heal her!”

“Sokka…” Suki protested weakly. Her hand was wrapped in a towel, which was already stained red in many places. She was pale, covered in sweat, and shivering. “It’s not that bad, really-”

“She cut into her wrist a bit.” Sokka explained, leading Katara over to Suki and beginning to pull the towel away. “I don’t think it’s that bad, but I don’t know what else would make it bleed so much.”

Katara frowned in concentration, bending the water around her hands. “Alright, Suki, tell me if anything feels too painful, okay…”

Breathing hitched, Suki smiled weakly at her. “Don’t worry, Katara, I can take it.”

Katara smiled in return before holding the water over Suki’s hand. It was completely covered in blood, so it was hard to tell where the cuts were at first. Katara quickly realized that the wall had ripped through the back of her hand as well as the heel of her palm. The cuts reached a few inches of her forearm, which was concerning...Katara felt gingerly at the cut at the base of Suki’s wrist. She breathed a sigh of relief...it wasn’t deep. She healed it quickly, as well as a few of the deeper cuts in the heel of her palm.

Now was the tricky part.

Katara turned the hand over to look at the back. She applied pressure gingerly in a few areas, feeling around as gently as possible. Suki inhaled deeply, but said nothing, and Katara kept working. “Wow, you’re lucky.” She commented as she finished her examination, healing the back of the hand. “You managed to avoid tearing any tendons. That would have taken some time to recover from, but you should be good as new now!”

Suki held her hand up, staring. “Wow, that’s amazing.” she breathed. “You can barely see the scars.”

Katara grinned. “I’m happy to help, Suki!” She began to stand up, but Suki grabbed her arm. “Wait, can we..talk for a bit?” Suki asked, a bit awkward. Katara raised her eyebrows, sitting down next to Suki on the bed.

“Sokka, can we have…” Suki trailed off, glancing at Katara. “...some girl time?”

He paled. “Oh, um, sure! I guess. I mean, absolutely! Of course! I’ll go eat lunch, which I need to do anyway, so, just come get me if you need me! Not that you need me!” Sokka looked as if he was in pain as he smiled, waving. “Love you!” The door shut behind him and the girls giggled.

Katara looked at Suki. “What’s up?”

Suki looked down. “...I’m so embarrassed. How am I supposed to face everyone after that?”

Katara blinked in surprise. “Suki, you got upset about stuff that was really terrible from your childhood. It was completely understandable and no one thought it was weird or uncalled for.”

“I need something to DO.” Suki shook her head. “I know I’m fighting and helping protect everyone, but I need another assignment. A more personal one, something to keep me busy so that I’m not dwelling in my own feelings and thoughts all day long.”

“Hmm…” Katara thought for a moment. “Well, I was a bit hesitant to ask, but I was actually thinking about asking if you could train me.”

Suki looked over at Katara in surprise. “Train you? In what?”

“Anything.” Katara bent the water back out of the basin, playing with it. “It’s just...with Toph getting her chi blocked, and then being sedated, and then me being taken hostage twice in the last few days…” Katara took a deep breath. “I would just feel better knowing that I’m not helpless without my waterbending.”

Suki thought for a moment. The color was beginning to return to her cheeks. “That sounds great, actually!” Suki put her hand on Katara’s arm, grinning. “I’ll help you train, which will keep me occupied!”

Katara couldn’t help but brighten. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, Suki.”

“Can we start right now?”

The Waterbender was taken aback. “What? Right now? Suki, you should take it easy for a little bit, maybe spend some time alone or -”

“No, I don’t want to do that.” Suki shook her head. “I don’t want to dwell on that. I want to move on. I’m feeling better, I promise!”

Katara folded her arms. “Suki, you exhausted yourself. And your body. There’s no way you’ll be in any shape to fight for at least a few hours, probably more.”

Suki’s face fell for a moment before her eyes lit up again. “I’ll just teach you basic stances! I always teach my girls hand-to-hand combat first, and the first step is stances. It won’t be hard on me at all!” She pleaded, grabbing Katara’s hand. “Please?”

Katara huffed. “Okay...let me go change into different clothes.”

Suki lit up with excitement. “Okay! I’ll meet you back here in a few minutes!”

Katara went back to her chambers and changed into the shirt and pants that were provided in her travel bag. They were surprisingly comfortable. Her heart started to flutter excitedly. She was going to be learning to fight - fight like non-benders. She would be able to protect herself and others from anything, even if her bending was taken away. Even if she had to keep it a secret.

By the time she burst back into Suki’s room, the Kyoshi warrior had changed, too. She beamed as Katara closed the door behind her. “Okay!” She clapped her hands together excitedly. “Alright, my flowing little Waterbender - let’s see how strong your stance is!”

O0o0o

_Please hurry up, Katara. For Agni’s sake, come on, I need you here…_

Zuko silently begged to Katara, hoping that she would somehow hear his pleas. He just needed her to be there, to be with him - he was certain he would lose his sanity if she didn’t show up soon -

He let out a sigh of relief as she rounded the corner, panting. Zuko was slightly taken aback by the lack of blues in her clothing - instead, she wore the tan commoners clothes his Palace had provided in her travel bag.

Fire Nation clothing was much more fitted than Water Tribe clothing. It was just a fact. Zuko reminded himself of this when he realized that these clothes actually formed around her, rather than just flowing whichever way they pleased.

 _Stop looking at her legs._ A voice in the back of his mind murmured. It grew louder as his stare continued. _Stop oogling at her legs you fucking weirdo._

Zuko blushed, standing up straighter and smiling at Katara, who smiled back at him. The red tint in his cheeks turned even darker. Thank Agni that Toph wasn’t there to make fun of him.

“Sorry I’m late!” Katara chirped brightly, closing the metal gate to the Manor property, latching it behind her. “I was training and I got carried away!” She put her hands on her hips, looking between the two men, who stood nearly eight feet away from each other. “Are you two ready?”

Jet glared at Zuko, who had been intently avoiding interacting with him for the last seven minutes. “I’ve been ready.”

“Great!” Katara nodded, fixing her hair. It was up in a ponytail, which was rare for her, but it was a bit messy so she reached back to re-tie it. “Let’s go! This woman deserves a personal thank-you for her help and generosity.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Jet waved his hand dismissively, turning on his heel. “It’s not anything new, she’s always been that way. Come on.”

Jet was a few meters ahead of them, purposefully keeping that distance. Katara frowned at his back, which caught Zuko’s eye.

“Did you two really…” He nodded his head toward Jet. “You know…”

Katara’s eyebrows furrowed. “No, actually, I don’t know, Zuko.” Her eyes flashed in a way that reminded Zuko distinctly of ice. “Could you clarify for me, please?”

Zuko fidgeted with his hands. “Um, well, Toph said something this morning about feelings reemerging? And that’s why you’re so worried about him?”

“Preposterous.” Katara sniffed, folding her arms. “I’m worried about him because I know him and he’s struggling. My romantic feelings for him have been long gone for years.”

Zuko stiffened slightly, though not enough for Katara to notice. “So...you did like him? Was he...your...partner?”

“Ew, no!” Katara recoiled, appalled. “No, we just kissed. Then he lied to us and tried to drown an entire village, so I froze him to a tree and left.”

Zuko blinked. “Oh. Um, well, good for you.”

Katara raised her eyebrows. “I didn’t think you’d approve of kissing Jet, but thanks, I guess.”

“No!” Zuko replied quickly, a blush starting to creep up his cheeks. “I mean, good for you that you froze him to a tree!”

“Oh.” Katara looked up at Jet again, who was even farther in front of them, moving swiftly through the street. “I mean, I thought it was pretty great.”

Zuko followed her gaze. If she didn’t have feelings for him anymore, why did she still look at him with such concern? Such gentleness?

Why did he care so much?

“But you don’t like him anymore?” He felt himself ask again. He mentally kicked himself in the shins.

“No.” Katara said firmly. She looked at him closely. “What makes it seem like I like him?”

“You…” Zuko hesitated. “You look worried about him all the time, and you stand up for him. And you told Aang today that you want to talk to him.”

“No, I said I didn’t want Aang to talk to him.”

“Same thing.”

Katara sighed heavily, turning and looking at a few children chasing each other in the street next to them. “Zuko, the last time I saw Jet, he was dying.” She shook her head slowly. “There’s no romance, and there’s no secrets. I just always felt like I had failed him. Like I should have tried harder to heal him, or I should have been there to make sure he didn’t get hurt in the first place.”

Zuko drew his lips into a thin line. “Katara, you know that it’s not -”

“Yes, Zuko.” Katara interrupted him. “I know it’s not actually my fault. But I left him behind and I ran away. I ran away from my mom and she died. I ran away from Jet and I thought he had died. Instead, he was just paralyzed for over two years.” Katara laughed softly, as if remembering a bittersweet memory. “He came back and told us how sorry he was, and that he had changed. But he had been brainwashed by the Dai Lee. Once we figured that out, he still pulled through and helped us - he led everyone down into Lake Laogai to find Appa.”

They rounded a corner onto a much more quiet street, still following Jet in the distance. Katara continued after a moment, staring at the cobblestone ground. “Aang said that the reason he was hit with that rock was because they somehow triggered his hypnosis again, and they made him attack Aang. But he was able to break through it. and he stopped attacking Aang to attack the Dai Lee agent instead.”

Zuko chuckled. “If there’s anything Jet has, it’s a strong will.”

Katara met his eyes with hesitation. “Do you think he blames us? For getting paralyzed?”

Zuko stumbled on the question. “What are you talking about? Why would he do that?”

“I…” Katara’s shoulders sagged. “I don’t know, Zuko. I don’t know what I’m saying. I just feel like I need to do better so that nothing like what happens to Jet ever happens again.”

Zuko repeated her words a few times in his head before glancing at her, confusion written across his face. “But...you can’t just control everything that happens.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Zuko gazed at her face, but she refused to meet his eyes. “Katara,” he said gently. “You know it’s not your job to take care of everyone, right?”

Katara glared. “Well, if I don’t do it, who will?” She replied hotly.

Zuko wanted to grab her shoulders and shake her, shake her until she somehow found her senses. All this time, and she still felt this weight? This responsibility? What a colossal failure of himself and their friends, letting Katara continue to put this pressure on herself. They had completely failed to actively prove to her that they could take care of themselves - and that Katara needed to take care of herself, too.

Zuko opened his mouth to say just that, but Jet interrupted him. “We’re here.”

Zuko and Katara looked up at Jet’s voice, which they hadn’t heard the entire time yet. He held the door to the next shop open, and Katara looked above his head at the dangling sign: “Mama’s Pond.”

“Aw, its a turtle-duck!” Katara’s defensive demeanor immediately evaporated, beaming up at the sign. The carved outline of the turtle-duck was somehow soft, and Zuko smiled up at the it, reaching up and touching the indents that made the wooden beak. The sign swung gently under his touch.

Katara tugged at Zuko’s shirt. “Come on.” She pulled at him gently, and he slowly let himself be dragged away from the sign and into the shop.

Katara felt strange. There was liquid everywhere - but it wasn’t just water. Brews of every color, every shade, and every kind...and they were EVERYWHERE.

As the door closed behind them, setting off a fancy bell contraption that rang throughout the room. They all stepped forward slightly. “Utana?” Jet called hesitantly.

There was no response.

A cauldron was boiling on the stove, and the fire was almost out of fuel. Zuko leaned town to inspect it.

“I think she’s gone.” Katara looked around, still in awe at the bottles and bottles of brews around her.

“That doesn’t make sense…” Jet frowned. “Utana was the most careful person I ever met. She would never leave these doors unlocked if she weren’t here.” He jogged around the counter and threw some water on the hot coals. “And she would never leave a fire burning.” Jet looked around the room suspiciously before beginning to rummage through different drawers and cabinets.

“Hey, um…” Katara winced as Jet slammed one of the drawers shut. “...we really shouldn’t be digging through her stuff...I mean, I know she left the door unlocked, but it’s still...you know...kinda like stealing…”

Jet waved her off. “Relax, Katara...Utana practically adopted me. She’s not going to care if I…aha!” He grinned, holding up a piece of paper. “Found it!”

Zuko raised his eyebrows at the empty parchment. “Wow, that looks so helpful.”

Jet’s face fell into a scowl. “Shut the fuck up.” He snapped, laying the paper down on the counter. “I know what I’m doing. Katara, you see those bottles behind you with the greenish liquid? Kinda brownish, but more greenish? Second-to-top shelf?” He waited as she scrambled over, scanning the brews until her eyes landed on the one Jet was looking for. She grabbed it and brought it back to him. “Perfect!’ Jet uncorked the bottle. He spun around, grabbing what looked like a frying pan from behind him and laid the paper inside it.

“Is he going to...cook that?” Zuko whispered to Katara. She shrugged.

Jet poured the brew over the paper. For the first few seconds, it just looked like a wet piece of paper, and Zuko wanted to slap Jet back to Chan Lin. But then faint lines began to appear. Katara’s eyes widened, and Jet leaned down in order to read the message.

“Three down, seven right.” He said aloud, pride swelling in his chest. He bustled around the counter and over to the side of the room. “Okay…” Jet looked at the counter. “When customers come in, she faces this way.” He planted his feet as if to show this. “The only open corner is this…” Jet knelt, his hand on the short wooden planks that made up her floor. “So if I’m facing this direction…” He counted, from the wall, three planks down and seven planks right. Once he had located a specific floor board, he began pulling at the little edges he could reach, desperate to pull it out.

Katara folded her arms. “...do you need some help with that?”

“No!” Jet snapped, pulling out one of his swords. He stuck it between the boards and wrenched it like a lever, pulling the wooden plank out of the ground. Katara’s mouth dropped.

Somehow, tied to the bottom of this plank, was a key. Jet pulled it out, smirking up at Zuko. “There!” He replied smugly. “It’s the key to all of her private stuff - including her house.”

The key opened the door, which led up a flight of stairs, and stopped at another door, which the key also opened. From there, they set foot inside what looked to be a comfortably sized living space. Small, cozy, and homey - everything was plain and simple.

But it was not a pretty sight.

Several plants had been knocked over, and a candle-holder in the corner was completely split in half. There were large slashes in a few of the couch cushions, and one of the windows had been shattered completely, glass scattered across the floor. They stopped at the inside of the door, shocked and processing the sight before them before Jet flew into a state of panic.

“What the FUCK happened?” He cried, finally unfreezing and breaking into a wild frenzy. He flitted aimlessly around the room, overwhelmed by the scene.

Katara put a hand over her mouth. “It looks like...it looks like there was a fight.”

Zuko stepped slowly into the room, his expression grave. “Jet,” He hardly ever spoke to Jet directly, which caused him to look up. Zuko’s eyes reflected his concern. “Did Utana have any enemies that you know of, or any people she was scared of?”

Jet wracked his spiraling brain. “Um…” He shut his eyes in desperation. “Um...when I mentioned yesterday that I used to be involved with Rheit and her crowd, she freaked out a little bit and told me to get out there right away. I didn’t think much of it, since I’m probably at the top of their hit list now, so there’s no way I’m a part of that gang anymore...but that’s the only specific example I have.” Jet shook his head. “Utana wasn’t secretive, but she was extremely private. She always has been that way. She keeps a low profile.” Jet’s eyes roamed around the ground, where dirt from potted plants littered the floor. “I always assumed it was because of her side gigs…”

Katara frowned. “Side gigs?”

“Side jobs she has for money.” Zuko supplemented, scanning the room for any obvious clues. “If she stays quiet about them, they’re probably illegal, like drug trafficking or dealing. Or even creating.”

Katara’s mouth fell open and her gaze snapped back to Jet. “Your physical therapy mom is a drug dealer?”

Jet folded his arms. “So?”

Katara shrugged passively, as if she hadn’t been shocked at all.. “Nothing, I’m just surprised at the damage here. Utana lives alone, right? But this is way too much of a mess for only two fighters.”

“There were also no clues on the outside, or downstairs” Added Zuko, grimacing as he spoke. “This must have been a well planned team stealth operation.”

Jet knelt next to a shattered pot, which had left dirt strewn across the floor. He swept some of it aside, revealing a paper. “This might be helpful.” He grimaced, shaking the rest of the dirt off of the large paper. “It’s an official portrait she had done back in her old village. I ran the shop the day she sat and posed for it.”

Katara stepped over the splintered table and peaked over Jet’s shoulder at the portrait. “You’re right, we might need this to help search for her.”

Zuko reached out his hand, moving to take the picture from Jet’s hands, but Jet pulled away quickly, scowling at the Fire Lord. “Watch it!” He snarled, holding the portrait on the other side of him protectively.

Zuko glared, folding his arms. “Seriously?” Jet continued to hold the paper away. “Jet, I just want to see it. I’m not going to hurt it. Seriously, what do you think I’m going to do?”

Jet opened his mouth, likely about to give Zuko a few very specific suggestions, but Katara stepped in. “Jet, please.” She glanced warily between the two men. “Honestly, Zuko’s on our side. I vouch for him.”

Jet stared at her for a moment before shaking his head. “Honestly, Katara, I don’t know what he said to convince you of that, but -”

“Oh, shut up! You’re so patronizing!” Katara snapped. The careful demeanor she had maintained with Jet finally gave way. “You want to know why I trust him, Jet? Do you really know, or is it just a question you ask so that you can argue with me?”

Jet blinked. “I…” He hesitated, looking up at Zuko for a moment, then back at Katara. His face settled. “Yes, I want to know.”

Katara folded her arms tightly. “Zuko travelled for days with me on an operation with one purpose. Do you know what that purpose was, Jet?”

“Clearly, I don’t.” Jet replied in exasperation.

“He was helping me find the man who killed my mother.”

Jet looked up. “Did you find him?”

“We thought we had hit a dead end, at first.” The anger on Katara’s face was beginning to melt away, and her eyes were showing the story as she spoke. “I was ready to give up, but Zuko wouldn’t. He was able to get more information that found us the REAL killer -” Katara’s face twisted into an unmistakable expression of loathing. “Yon Rha.”

Jet nodded. “So, you killed him?”

“No.”

Jet blinked. “Oh. Did Zuko-”

“No.”

“You…” Jet’s face was an awkward mix of pity and disgust. “You let him live?”

“No.” Katara’s eyes flashed dangerously. “I proved I was better than him.”

Jet snorted. “I don’t see how that proves anything, for you or for Zuko.”

Zuko stepped forward, but Katara put her hand up, a gesture that easily said keep back. She turned back to Jet, the expression on her face sobering. “What would be sufficient?” She asked simply. “Him sacrificing his life?”

Jet shrugged. “I guess.”

“He almost died saving my life.”

Jet stared at her. “Are you just making this all up?”

“No.” Zuko spoke up this time, unbuttoning a few buttoners on his shirt and pulling it down slightly. Jet moved to cover his eyes, but stopped when he realized what the Fire Lord was trying to show him.

A large, jagged scar - almost like a star - spread across Zuko’s lower chest. After Jet had a few seconds to gawk, Zuko quickly buttoned his shirt back up. “I was hit by lightning and I didn’t redirect it properly.”

“What he means,” Katara folded her arms, frowning at Zuko. “is that he jumped in front of lightning and almost died in order to save my life.”

Jet looked between the two of them for a few moments. “How am I supposed to trust him, Katara?” He asked. The floor was missing from his voice, and it was hollow. Empty.

Scared.

Katara’s face softened slightly, though her protective expression still remained. “The first step of trust is having faith, Jet.” Katara held out her hand for the portrait of Utana. “The second step is remembering that not everyone is perfect, so you need to communicate and listen to each other.”

Jet studied her for a moment before relenting, handing over the portrait. Katara passed it along to Zuko, who turned the parchment over and immediately became white as a ghost. He stepped back as if to get away from the paper, which he still hung onto, and his arms began to shake.

Katara watched, dumbfounded, as Zuko tried to take another step back. His foot landed in a puddle of water, pooled around the shattered remains of a flower vase. He slipped backward and crashed onto his back, pieces of glass sticking into his arms and torso.

He barely felt them.

This was impossible, this was a lie. It was just a lie, like it always was. It wasn’t true.

A hand gripped Zuko’s shoulder, and he barely had the strength to look up. “Zuko,” Katara was kneeling beside him, her eyes wide with concern. “Are you hurt? What happened?”

Zuko held the picture out in front of him and glanced at it one more time, which caused his entire body to rense. “Where - where did you find that from?” He stammered, pointing toward the discarded picture.

Jet looked at Katara, his eyebrows raised. “Um…it was here in the mess. It’s a picture she took a few years ago, back when I lived with her in the Earth Kingdom colonies.”

Jet stopped as Zuko reached forward hesitantly, stopping briefly to hesitate before grabbing the paper again. This time, he didn’t pull away, but tears did loom in his eyes.

Katara knelt beside him. “Zuko, I-”

"Katara," Zuko interrupted her. He turned to meet her eyes with his own, which were wide and brewing with emoton. “This is my Mom.”


	10. (Don't) Panic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gaang struggles to figure out how to proceed after their shocking discovery. They agree that finding Utana is essential, and they split up to tackle different tasks. Everything gets much more complicated, however, when a set of unfamiliar faces show up. What do they want? Will they help or hurt the Gaang?  
> What happened to Utana?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! I'm so sorry this took me so long! Luckily, after this long week (I had my SATs!) I'm dropping my hardest class, so hopefully I'll have more time to write!  
> Quick reminder that this chapter IS still *unrevised* :)  
> I hope you enjoy!

**CHAPTER TEN**

Aang stared down at the file in his hands, which trembled slightly. He glanced at the pile of papers stacked between himself and Nasoki, who had been helping him go through these files for mentions of Air Nomads for hours. So far, they had come across more and more - it became consistent and often, and eventually it began to fade to be only an occasional hit or two.

Aang had grown numb to them after about an hour, which made him feel guilty...every Air Nomad in these letters had been real - alive, breathing, being - and the Fire Nation had snuffed them out with a private extermination squad.

“How’s it going in here?”

Aang glanced up, resisting the urge to hide the file away. Mai leaned against the doorway, raising her eyebrows at the large stack of files he and Nasoki had already gathered. “That many, huh? Well, I can’t say I’m surprised.”

“I’m starting to get really worried about how long this will take.” Nasoki pressed her lips together, flipping through a few papers. “If there are this many extrajudicial kill orders in one district, how many are there going to be in others?”

Aang shook his head, frowning. “This doesn’t make sense…” he carefully put the paper he held on the floor beside him, facing down. He looked up at Nasoki. “The majority of these orders are spread throughout the Fire Nation territories - not just what falls into Rotaki District. Some are even in the heart of the Fire Nation.”

“That’s true…” Nasoki’s eyes widened as she scanned her paper. “Some of these killings were ordered in territories that  _ didn’t _ belong to the Fire Nation.”

Mai’s face darkened. “Let me see one.” She demanded, walking up to them. Nasoki handed her the paper she had been holding, and Mai’s eyes flickered across the page. “Do all of them say this? This part, ‘poison or daggers, you decide’ here at the bottom.”

“Yeah, it’s been on most of them.” Aang sighed, and Nasoki nodded. “It’s pretty dark, but I think it’s just a saying of some sort.”

“Well, you aren’t wrong.” Mai handed the paper back, her body tense. “It’s mercenary code.”

Nasoki glanced at Aang, who shrugged. “Um,” She looked back at Mai awkwardly. “What do you mean?” 

Mai’s voice was slightly strained. “The most well-known type of mercenary work is bounty hunting, and as you know, I lived in that world for a year with June. But mercenary work can range from a hired bodyguard to trafficking haze, to assassinations.”

Aang’s eyes widened. “But...why are all these letters  _ here _ of all places? Why wouldn’t they be in the Fire Nation capital at the Palace?”

“The Capitol isn’t a safe place for mercenaries.” Mai folded her arms. “Not unless you’re well known and have good connections. There aren’t a lot of mercenaries to hire there.”

Aang stared at her blankly. “...so?”

Mai rolled her eyes. “Aang, you know what this district is known for, right?”

Aang shook his head, but Nasoki facepalmed. “Duh!” She exclaimed, shaking her head at herself. “Rotaki is the mercenary capital of the world! It’s most well known for bounty hunters!”

“Exactly.” Mai nodded, folding her arms across her chest. “My guess is that these orders were given to my….to the past Governors, and they would put together a group of mercenaries and pay them to do the job.”

Aang looked down anxiously at the paper next to him. “It seems too easy,” He looked at Nasoki, who frowned. “That all this information is here. Am I just used to things going badly? Or does this feel like too much of a coincidence?”

“No, you’re right.” Mai agreed, pursing her lips. “It is kind of suspicious. But it’s the only lead we have, and it’s a world where I have connections, so we might be able to -”

The Manor rattled, and the front door slamming shut echoed through the house and up to the file room. Mai turned around quickly, her knives peeking out of her sleeves, but she relaxed once she heard the voices. 

“Is that...Zuko?” Nasoki frowned, listening to the muddled, angry shouts. 

Aang nodded. “And Jet, it sounds like.”

The sounds grew closer. Aang and Nasoki exchanged a glance, standing up.

“ …out of your mind!”

“You think I don’t know her face?”

“You haven’t seen her in over a decade! Are you seriously trusting your childhood memories over me? I lived with until about a year ago, I know what -”

“I could never forget her face!”

The shouting continued to get louder, and Mai glanced back at Aang before walking out toward the hallway, the other two close behind her.

“Zuko!” Katara’s voice, sounding incredibly anxious, floated up the stairwell. “Stop, let me heal you -”

“Stop, Katara, I don’t need healing.” Zuko snapped. Mai, Aang, and Nasoki ran down the stairs, coming face to face with their friends.

Mai took one look at Zuko and gasped. “Agni, what happened? Were you attacked?”

“No,” Jet folded his arms, his eyes burning with anger. “He slipped and fell on broken glass like a fucking idiot.”

Zuko’s fist clenched, and the air around him grew tense with friction. “You need to watch your mouth,” He snarled. “Don’t forget who you’re  _ talking  _ to.”

“I haven’t.” Jet stepped toward him, his eyes glaring right back into Zuko’s. “Now, fuck off.”

Zuko brought his fist up to his side, a flame alighting out of his closed hand as if he was holding a blade. “What did you just say to me?” Zuko’s voice was calm, but his eyes were not.

Jet simply drew his own swords. “I said,” Jet replied, almost tauntingly “I think you should -”

“Enough!”

Katara wedged herself between the two men. “Stop it, both of you!” She shouted, glaring between the two of them. She wasn’t that much shorter than the two of them, but she was enough that they could glare at each other over the top of her head. Katara hissed in frustration, and with a jerk of her arm, she bent the water inside Jet’s flask. It was tied tightly to his waist, and as she pushed it away from her, Jet stumbled back and slammed into the wall. Zuko smirked, but quickly wiped the smile off his face when Katara turned her glare back to him. “You two have lost your damn minds!” She snapped, pointing at them. “You claim to care about this woman so much, yet you resort to arguing with each other? If you  _ really _ cared, wouldn’t you be pushing all of this aside and working together for once?”

Jet scowled, but said nothing. Zuko’s anger seemed to melt away, and he sat in the dining chair beside him, crumpling. Katara swore, rushing to his side.

Aang looked at Mai. “I’m going to go find the others,” He whispered. “I think we all should talk.”

_ o0o0o _

“Wait…” Sokka put his hand on his forehead as if this information physically pained him. “So, Jet’s mom who isn’t actually his mom is  _ actually  _ Zuko’s mom?”

Katara nodded, not looking away from her task. “Yes, that’s right.” She gently pulled a piece of glass out of Zuko’s back, and he winced. The cooling water of her hand healed the wound quickly, but the amount of glass shards was a bit intimidating. “We came back right away,” She continued, grabbing at another shard.

“I’m tired of this.”

Everyone turned to look at Toph, who leaned against a nearby wall. “...which part don’t you like?” Aang asked cautiously. 

“All of this.” Toph waved her hand in the air. “Come on, you can’t seriously think this is all a coincidence, can you? Because if it is, it’s a damn good coincidence.”

Sokka shrugged. “I mean, I didn’t think we’d find Zuko’s mom  _ here _ of all places, but -”

“No, not just that, you idiot!” Toph snapped. “Look, shit hit the fan a few years ago. I know that. But this is something else. I’ve been incapacitated - knocked out - TWICE in the last week. I don’t think that’s a fucking coincidence.”

Katara exchanged a glance with her brother. “Do you think this has to do with you?” She asked cautiously. “You were attacked for the first time  _ before  _ we arrived in the Fire Nation, it didn’t have anything to do with us -”

“We can’t rule that out.” Aang shook his head. “The Palace staff and Fire Sages were well aware that you were coming.”

Suki folded her arms skeptically. “But who would want to attack us? Besides all the normal people.”

“You’re all asking the wrong questions.” Toph groaned. Did she have to explain  _ everything _ ? “Why are people trying to knock us out and incapacitate us, that’s a big question. And then there’s this new discovery - this lady was kidnapped. Now, she was like a mom to Jet, right? She helped us recover from our paralysis. And she also happened to give us an extremely valuable potion made with illegal ingredients, being fully transparent about it,  _ for free _ . There’s no way it’s a coincidence she went missing less than a day later.” Toph grimaced. “Especially if she IS Zuko’s mom.”

Everyone was quiet.

“...what do we do?” Nasoki asked from the opposite corner of the room, her voice strong despite her fearful expression.

Katara double checked to make sure she had extracted all of the glass shards before handing Zuko his shirt back. “We need to find Utana.”

“Ursa.” Zuko corrected.

“Whichever, we need to find her.” Katara folded her arms. “If she  _ was _ captured because of us, then it’s our responsibility to bring her back safely. If she was taken because she knew too much about something, then we need to know that information too. She also saved our lives and we’re in her debt.” Katara’s face softened, and she held Zuko’s arm. “This is also important to Zuko - and important to Jet - and we should do everything we can to find her.”

Zuko met her eyes.  _ Thank you _ , they said, but they also said something more.

_ I’m sorry _ .

Katara frowned at this, and when Zuko tried to gently pull his arm away from her, she kept her grasp firm.

Aang raised his eyebrows at her. “You’re awfully convicted about finding Utana. Are we going to let Zuko talk about it? Or Jet?”

Zuko opened his mouth to speak. “I…” He seemed to run out of air, his head collapsing onto his chest. “...I thought I’d never see her again. I was  _ so close _ .” 

Katara reached in front of him, grabbing his shoulders and forcing him to look her in the eye. “We  _ will _ find her, Zuko.” She vowed. She looked up at Jet, nodding. “I promise, we’ll find her.”

Jet, sighing, sat down next to Zuko. The Fire Lord raised his eyebrows, but didn’t argue. “Utana is strong - she’s a good fighter, and she’s a survivor.” Jet glanced at Zuko. “...she never told us a lot about her past - not even me. But you could see the determination and the resilience in her eyes.”

Zuko remembered his mother’s eyes. They were so expressive - so soft, so loving. He couldn’t imagine them being angry, cruel, or harsh. Then again, the pair of blue eyes that gently stared at him right now were not always so docile. He had seen them become colder than ice.

Jet sighed, sitting back in his chair. “This is gonna screw a lot of shit up in the business.”

Katara’s anger flared. “Oh, the illegal spirit water dealing business? Boo hoo, I feel SO terrible.”

A wave of shock rolled over the group before Sokka recovered. “Katara, Utana being gone changes a lot about the business...why are you being so disrespectful!”

“I have complete respect for Utana, and I understand that people may not be  _ aware _ of why what they’re doing is wrong,” Katara crossed her arms, eyes flashing. “But mark my words...once Utana is found and everyone is safe, I  _ will _ put an end to this illegal industry.”

The rest of the room exchanged weary glances. “Why?” Jet frowned. “It has healing properties! It helped heal me, it helped heal you, too. What’s wrong with that?”

Katara’s teeth were bared. “The fact that it’s SACRED!” She replied hotly, looking back at Zuko, who seemed just as shocked as Jet was. “That’s why! And I don’t expect everyone to know that, but it doesn’t stop the fact that it’s important. We need to find Utana, or Ursa, or whatever her name is and make sure she’s safe.”

Jet raised his eyebrows. “And then you’re going to proceed to destroy her entire business and livelihood?”

Katara’s mouth dropped open. “That’s not how -”

Toph sighed loudly. “Look, how about I just confirm that everyone is telling the truth? Because the more we argue with each other, the more time this woman is missing.”

“Toph is right.” Suki nodded. “What’s our first step?”

Jet opened his mouth to answer her, but Toph beat him to the punch. “Katara, you take me to this house. I want to see what I can find.”

Zuko looked up, frowning. “I could take you there.”

“Yes, I’m sure you could.” Toph snipped. “But you and Jet are both too blinded by emotion right now, and I don’t need you in my way.”

Zuko flinched at the harshness, but Jet seemed to swell with anger. “Are you saying that we’re not qualified to help find Utana?” He demanded, stabbing the dining table with his finger. Toph rubbed her temples.

“No,” She began slowly. “I’m saying that both of you are freaking out right now, which makes sense, since both of you call her your mom and she just went missing. You’re not going to be able to think clearly enough in that space to be productive.”

Zuko and Jet both made a move to stand, but Suki stepped in, her hands in front of her as if to calm the men down. “Look, Toph has a point.” She began, glancing at the Earthbender. “You two know more about this woman then anyone else. You two should stay here with Mai and Aang - try brainstorming and thinking back to anything that might connect to this. Sokka and I will go with Toph to investigate.”

Jet folded his arms, scowling. “Why do you and Sokka get to go but not me?”

“Because Suki and Sokka don’t know her, you dumbass, much less call her their mom!” Toph snapped.

Aang studied Toph uneasily. “Are...are you okay, Toph?”

“I’m fine.” She leaned further into the wall. “I”m just tired of being two steps behind these bastards.”

Though Toph never said the quiet parts out loud, it was easy to hear the true words behind that statement:  _ I’m sick of people hurting my friends. _

“Then let’s get going.” Sokka stood up. “We don’t want to risk anyone else getting into that house and tampering with the scene.”

Suki nodded, rising to walk back up the stairs. “Sokka and I will go grab our stuff. We’ll meet you and Katara by the door.”

Toph just nodded, silently turning and heading toward the entrance to the Manor, her bare feet slapping the stone floor. Katara moved to go after her but paused. “Zuko, Jet,” She looked at them in concern. “Please, just...try to remember you’re on the same side, okay? Talk with Mai and Aang, they might be able to help you remember something important.”

Jet huffed, but Zuko nodded, his eyes meeting hers, holding them for a moment as if to silently say “thank you.” She squeezed his shoulder before following Toph out of the room, leaving a very quiet room of people behind.

Aang opened his mouth to say something, but hesitated, so Nasoki spoke instead. “Jet,” She said simply, stepping forward. She still stood while the others sat at the table, like the other Kyoshi Warriors. She was still a guard, after all. “Was there anything Utana did that seemed odd to you?”

The fighter paused to think. “Well, she only ever interacted with her spirit dealer. No other low-crowd people. She didn’t go to the bars where they tend to congregate, and she definitely didn’t associate herself with different cartels or gangs. It almost seemed like she avoided it. I never really pushed her about it, because whenever I asked, she would just say that she was trying to keep her life as normal as possible.”

Zuko listened to Jet intently. “She used to live with you in one of the villages that was occupied by the Fire Nation, right?”

Jet glanced up at Zuko. He didn’t miss the fact that the Fire Lord hadn’t referred to the village as a “Fire Nation territory,” as was customary by nearly everyone. “Yes we did, why?”

“What was her response to the Fire Nation military?”

Jet’s eyes immediately widened. “Agni, I can’t believe I forgot…” He shoved his face into his hands. “Whenever patrols were in town, she restricted store hours - and when we were open she always had me run the front desk. There were a few times when soldiers came without any forewarning, and she always pretended to be sick.”

Mai frowned. “Did she ever tell you why?”

“No.” Jet shook his head. “I asked her, but she always told me that she was avoiding her past for a reason, and that I didn’t want to know about it.” He looked down at his hands, which sat in his lap. “I asked her every time, and still, she always had the same answer. ‘It’s too complicated, Jet. Trust me, you don’t want to know.’ It was the one thing that always made me feel distant from her.”

They sat in silence for a few moments. Mai finally spoke. “Do you know when she first moved to that village?”

“Yes, it was…” Jet thought for a moment. “It would have been about ten years ago, now. Maybe a little more.”

She made eye contact with Zuko, who was growing more and more pale. Jet narrowed his eyes at the Fire Lord. “What?” He asked defensively, folding his arms across his chest.

Zuko took a shaky breath before answering. “You still don’t believe she’s my mother?”

“Well, I think it’s  _ highly  _ improbable that -”

“My mother disappeared a little over ten years ago.” Zuko interrupted, keeping his eyes fixated on the fruit bowl in the center of the table. “She said goodbye to me in the middle of the night, and the next morning she was gone. I never knew why.”

Jet sat back in his seat as if Zuko had slapped him. “...are you...that’s not-”

“Jet, it’s okay.” Aang assured him. “She’s still the same woman you know.”

“She was the fucking Fire Lady!” Jet threw his arms out to the side, nearly hitting Mai in the face. “Everything I knew about her was a LIE! She always said she HATED the Fire Lord!”

“She did.” 

Jet glared at Zuko, who met his gaze with firm belief. “You expect me to believe she married a man she didn’t love? “

Zuko’s teeth bared. “I thought you knew of my father’s brutality. You think anyone would want to MARRY him?”

“Well, how else -”

“She was FORCED!” Zuko slammed his hand down on the table, causing Aang to jump. “The servants always whispered about how sorry they felt for her, that she was taken from her family. And she never, EVER talked about him. EVER.” He spat. “She could hardly LOOK at him.”

Jet seemed to retreat into himself, staring at Zuko with an unreadable expression before finally asking, “Do you think that’s why she left?”

Zuko glanced up. “I didn’t know what happened to her until today. No one would ever tell me - for all I knew, she could have been dead.”

“But you said that she came to you during the night to say goodbye.”

“Yes.” Zuko’s gazed returned to the fruit bowl, as if it would somehow prevent the tears from welling up further. “But my father knew something. He knew what happened, and he never told me.”

The air was heavy around them. Mai pulled a small pad of paper and a pen out of her cloak, much to the astonishment of the men. “Long story.” She muttered, writing at the top. 

_ Potential Suspects _

  * _Jet’s old gang from Chan Lin_


  * Something to do with her past/Ozai


  * A rival spirit dealer



Zuko turned his head slightly in order to read the list. “Jet, did she ever have problems with specific dealers or cartels?” Mai asked as she finished writing the last line.

Jet put his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palms. “Umm...not really. She’s pretty high up the chain - she looks small, but she sells pure spirit as well as her brews under the table to other dealers from across the Fire Nation, even some from the Earth Kingdom.”

“But she isn’t the highest in the chain.” Aang pointed out.

Jet shook his head. “Her biggest competition for the pure spirit and the spirit brews is from...District three, I think?”

Zuko frowned. “The Sotaku District?”

“Yes!” Jet snapped his fingers. “That’s it! There’s this married couple that lives there, and they do the same thing Utana does - run a huge spirit brew market underground, disguised as a simple brew shop.”

Aang pursed his lips. “If spirit water brews are such a common thing in the upper class, how come they haven’t been caught?”

Jet raised his eyebrows. “Caught by who?” He folded his arms. “The people in charge? That’s their clientele.”

“I’m a bit confused.” Mai piped in, writing down a few notes. “If she really was so powerful in the dealing market, how come she wasn’t more protected? How come only Jet worked for her?”

Jet barked out a laugh, and everyone turned to stare at him. “Oh, you think she doesn’t have people?” he chuckled in a cold, almost bitter manner. “Utana doesn’t like official cartels - she doesn’t like hierarchies with those terrible power dynamics. But if you boil everything down, she essentially was the boss of one of the biggest spirit cartels in this nation.”

Mai drew her lips into a thin line. “Then why was she so easily captured? Wouldn’t you KNOW some of these people?”

“I know a lot of them.” Jet nodded. “But Utana runs her business with kindness - she doesn’t require her workers to dedicate their entire lives, all of their time, all of their resources. She just requires their loyalty.”

“Okay…” Mai glanced at Zuko. “That still doesn’t answer the question -”

“Utana’s only lived here for a few months.” Jet interrupted. “She sent me a letter updating me on where she was in case I ever needed her.”

“So, she knew you were in Chan Lin?” Aang raised his eyebrows, surprised. “I thought she was horrified when she found out you were working for Rhiet and -”

“No, she didn’t know.” Jet smiled slightly. “She doesn’t need to. She just hands the letter off to one of her workers and they’ll figure it out. She has people all over the Fire Nation.”

“Okay, but back to my original question -” Mai persisted. 

Jet huffed. “Her inner circle hasn’t moved yet.” He explained. “A few of them are nobles, and they need a reasonable excuse to suddenly move to the district capital. Plus, most of them have families, and moving is much more complicated. Utana only had to pack up herself and her things.”

They sat quietly for a moment as Mai scribbled down this new information, her eyebrows furrowed. “When did she normally sleep?”

Jet blinked. “What?”

“When did she normally sleep?”

“Oh, um…” Jet glanced at Zuko, as if he would remember. “She went to bed later than most people, maybe around midnight, and she got up around seven, I think.”

Mai nodded, still concentrating on her paper. “And...what experience, if any, did she have with self defense?”

“She was very skilled.” Jet said, causing Zuko to recoil in surprise. “Mostly with a staff.”

Aang grinned, glancing down at his own staff. “Good choice!” 

“She could fight?” Zuko gasped. “She  _ fought  _ people? Mother would scold me whenever I so much as disrespected another person! And you’re telling me she was a skilled fighter?”

Jet raised his eyebrows, nodding. “She always told me that it had been a hobby in her childhood that she picked back up later in life.”

Zuko sat back in his chair, stunned. Mai scanned the notes she had written down. “This isn’t good.” Mai sighed, flipping to a new page. “We thought before that this was definitely connected to us, but maybe not. If this is a small pocket of time where she was more vulnerable and had less people to protect her, maybe someone wanted to take the opportunity to strike.”

Jet and Zuko both tensed, but Aang looked thoughtful. “She had to have SOME people here with her right?”

“I would be surprised if she didn’t.” Jet muttered. 

Aang sat forward in his chair. “Then where are they?”

Mai started a new list. “The most likely answers are that they were killed in the abduction, they were also taken in the abduction, or they weren’t present at the abduction and are just as clueless as we are.”

Jet nodded for a moment before his eyes widened with realization, and his face drained of color. “Fuck.”

Mai glanced up at him. “What?”

“Whoever is here with her, they’ll be watching the house and the shop.” Jet stood up quickly. “If they see people poking around in there -”

“Would they attack?” Aang stood as well, grabbing his glider staff.

Jet nodded. “The general procedure is to observe first and observe the descriptions, identities, and motives behind the intruders. Then they would attack.”

“So Katara and the others might still have time.” Zuko pushed his chair in, already walking toward the front entrance. “We have to go.”

Everyone hurriedly grabbed their things - Mai stuffed her notebook and pencil back in her cloak pocket - and walked quickly toward the front door.

“Just follow my lead, okay?” Jet panted, throwing the double doors open and squinting out into the bright midday sun. “I’m our best chance.”

_ o0o0o _

Katara winced as the door creaked, opening slowly into the abandoned shop. Everyone followed her in silently.

“I’m surprised no one has looted the place yet.” Suki noted, looking around at the fully stocked shelves. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say nothing happened down here.”

“I would reserve your judgement until you see the house, Suki.” Katara grimaced, walking straight to the other side of the market. Jet had locked both doors behind them and taken the key, but it didn’t matter. She took some water out of her flask and bent it into a thin piece of ice. She sliced the dagger through the crack in the door. She recoiled, yelping as the ice shattered and cut her hand. 

Toph snorted, and all of them gathered around her as she cursed at herself, healing the wound. Sokka folded his arms. “Did you seriously think you were going to cut metal? With ICE?”

“I-” Katara sputtered, glaring at him. “This is important, I’m in a rush!”

“Yeah, it’s not like I can bend metal or anything.” Toph’s voice practically dripped with sarcasm. The metal door handle along with the lock melted into her grasp. She formed the metal around her arms as gauntlets for safekeeping and kicked the door open. “See, Sweetness? Easy.”

Katara grumbled after them as they followed Toph up the stairs, pausing to let her take the metal from the door at the top. Once she had formed the metal into bands around her upper arms, they made their way into the house.

Suki’s eyes widened as she was the last to step into the chaos. “...whoa.”

“Yeah.” Katara said grimly. 

Sokka stepped further into the room, frowning. “Almost everything has been knocked over.” He noted, stepping over shards of a broken vase. Katara winced, remembering when Zuko had fallen on them and those shards had embedded themselves in his back. Her brother’s voice brought her back to the present. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say someone wrecked the place to make it  _ look _ like there was a fight.”

Toph raised her eyebrows. “You think it’s all a setup?”

“No.” Sokka knelt in the small kitchenette. “I said ‘if I didn’t know any better.’ I do.” He stood. The tips of his fingers were red, and he sniffed them. “Yep, that’s blood.”

Katara and Suki made their way around to see what Sokka was looking at. They both gasped at the dried blood on the floor. Suki’s face hardened as her eyes trailed up the wall, following the splattering of red. “We have no way of knowing who that blood is from,” Suki reminded them, trying to reassure herself. “For all we know, it could be the attacker’s blood.”

“Well, we have no way of knowing.” Katara grit her teeth. Suki walked to the bedroom, where the door hung open. She peaked her head inside and raised an eyebrow. “Well, the bedroom looks untouched. It’s spotless.”

Katara glanced in the room as well. “Maybe they came later, thinking she was asleep, but she was still awake and put up a fight.”

“She put up a good one, by the looks of it.” Sokka had moved back to the living room. He examined the gashes in the couch. “Until we have definitive proof otherwise, we should assume this is all genuine evidence.”

Suki nodded. “We should figure out how they got in. The front door to the shop was unlocked, right? But the two doors to the stairwell were still locked?”

“Yes.” Katara pulled her hair up in a bun so it would stop falling in her face before bending down, looking underneath a large cabinet. “Jet figured out where the key was, but no one would have found it unless they knew the puzzle.”

Sokka looked up at her, eyebrows furrowed. “Puzzle?”

Katara sighed, standing back up after finding nothing suspicious under the furniture. “Jet found this blank piece of paper behind the counter, and he grabbed this specific potion and poured it over the paper and words appeared. It said “Three down, seven left” or something, and Jet seemed to already know that meant the floorboards and how to figure out which one it was. It all happened pretty fast.”

Suki folded her arms. “So you don’t think they could have just...locked those doors behind them and put the key back?”

“I doubt it.” Katara shook her head.

“Me too.” Sokka pressed his lips in a thin line, concentrating. “If they had gone through the market with an injured person, with that amount of blood, there would probably be at least  _ some  _ evidence.”

They all turned at a strange metallic creaking noise. Toph had opened one of the windows, bending the metal frame upward, and gestured at the others. “One of you, come look down here.”

Sokka obliged, though he looked skeptical. He stuck his head out the window, lazily looking down, and his eyes widened immediately. He pulled back into the house, slamming the back of his head on the window. “OW, FUCK!”

Katara stifled a giggle while Suki jogged over to him. “What happened? What did you see?”

Sokka rubbed his head, shooting an angry glare back at Toph as she snickered. “There’s a second roof for the first floor. It’s on the back of the building, so I’m not sure what it would be, since it’s not the shop.” Sokka blinked a few times. “But, yeah, anyways, It’s hardly three feet above the window. And there’s  _ definitely  _ some blood.”

Katara nodded appreciatively, turning to Toph. “How did you know to look there?”

Toph shrugged. “This latch was unlocked and all the other windows were sealed.” She jutted her thumb behind her. “I didn’t know if it was possible they could have gotten in or out that way, but it was worth a look.”

“How far is that other roof from the ground?” Suki held the window open so that she could study the scene herself. “It looks much more than three feet. They couldn’t have just jumped it like they came out of this window.”

Without further hesitation, Suki vaulted herself over the edge of the large window and landed on the roof with a thud. Sokka walked up to the window and watched as his girlfriend casually walked to the edge of the roof, peering down. “What do you see?” He called, not concerned in the slightest.”

“Nothing over here.” Suki replied, walking along the edge. “I would say it’s about eight feet, there’s no way they could have -” She stopped close to one of the far corners. “There’s a shed here. It’s about the same distance, three feet down. It’s like they had steps to get down to the ally.”

Sokka stroked his chin thoughtfully as Suki made her way back through the window, hauling herself up and over the ledge. Katara turned back to Toph. “Any other discoveries to show us?”

“Well, there are people coming up the stairs.” Toph said casually, playing with some metal in her hands. 

“What?!” Sokka and Katara said in unison. Suki had barely shut the window behind her when the stairway door burst open, and an  _ avalanche _ of rocks hurtled toward them.

Toph stepped forward. She pulled her hands toward her, and the rocks formed into a boulder that she punched through. The stone flew apart, the shattered pieces flying over her friends who stood behind her. Suki and Sokka had both drawn their swords, and Katara held a stream of water at the ready.

Two masked intruders, whose faces were covered, were joined by two more. The one in front - the Earthbender - hissed as Toph destroyed their incoming attack. One of the others - a woman - flicked her wrist. A flame encircled her hand. 

Katara’s heart began to pound faster and faster. The other two enemies drew their weapons in what seemed like slow motion - one of them had two daggers, and the other held a large sword. The Firebender broke the silence first, shooting a blast of orange flame at the group.

Katara flung her water in front of the group, dispelling the flames. The man with the sword rushed at them, yelling, and Suki met his strike. Metal clanged on metal, and the girl with the daggers laughed as she lunged at Sokka.

Katara rolled her eyes as the Firebender got into a stance. She reached her arm out toward the bathroom door, and within moments, the door was blasted off its hinges, a flood of water cascading through the air. The door slammed into the firebender, knocking her down with a yelp, right as the water splashed on top of her. Katara whirled the water around her, resisting the urge to smile as the two bender’s stared up at her massive water tentacles, eyes widening.

“Stop!”

Everyone turned at the outburst, equally shocked to see Jet standing at the top of the steps. “Please,” He held his hands up pleadingly. “Stop fighting, let’s talk this out.”

The woman with the daggers pulled her hood down, and two reddish-brown braids spilled out. Her mask fell, revealing her face as she stared wide eyed at Jet. “...Jet?”

He looked over at her voice, and his face immediately reflected her expression. “Okami?” He whispered. “You’re  _ here _ ?”

“Jet!” The larger man boomed, causing the firebender girl to jump. The battle apparently forgotten, he plundered over to them, taking off his mask. “It’s so good to see you!”

Jet seemed to overcome his initial shock and greet him warmly, grasping his wrist and pulling him into a short hug. “Sen! I can’t believe my luck, I thought you guys would be somewhere else!”

The other member of the team, the eartbender, sniffed. “Well, it seems you’re lucky, then.” He said snidely. Jet seemed to notice him for the first time and his joyful expression flickered.

“Monuk.” Jet nodded once to the man before turning back to the girl, Okami. “Are you guys the only ones in the city?”

“Yeah.” Sen nodded, sheathing his sword. Sokka and Suki glanced at each other hesitantly before shrugging, sheathing their weapons as well. “We took shifts taking watch during the night, like normal - same procedure as back in the day.”

“We live in the houses on either side of this building.” Monuk added, completely monotone. “We can see through the windows and watch from the rooftops.”

“And none of us saw ANYTHING.” Okami folded her arms, scowling. “We woke up this morning and when Utana didn’t open the shop, we came to check on her, and...well...”

Jet swallowed, remembering why they were there. “Right. Look, we’re trying to find her, too. We need to join forces and make a plan. Otherwise she might not make it much…”

_...longer. _

Monuk sighed. “For once, I agree with Jet.”

“Let’s go back to the Manor.” Mai glanced back down the stairs. “It’s more private, more secure - and I can have guards protect this building.”

Okami’s eyes flashed, and she jutted her chin toward Mai. “Who’s this one?” She asked bluntly. Katara’s eyes widened.

“This is-” Jet began, but Mai cut him off.

“I’m the Governess.” She replied coldly, stepping forward. “Newly appointed.”

Okami whipped her head around to look back at Jet. “You’re working with Fire Nation?” She hissed, her body tensing. “What’s  _ happened _ to you?”

Jet’s eyes narrowed. “You’re yelling at ME? Who’s your little firebender friend?” He yelled, pointing at the girl still sprawled on the ground.

“She’s different!” Okami snapped, helping her up from the ground. Her face was still covered, and her hood was still shadowing her face. “Shit happened while you were gone, and Utana wanted to tell you  _ in person _ -”

“Will you two shut up?” Monuk boomed, and the two fell silent. He stood. “It’s been a long time - we have a lot to catch up on.”

Mai stepped forward even further, her eyes blazing. “I will order guards to come protect this building.” She snapped, unnaturally still. “Now, let’s go back to the Manor before we do anything more suspicious.”

After a quick glance and a nod from Jet, they reluctantly agreed, and the group set off back to the Bhang Chi Manor.

_ o0o0o _

They had barely gotten through the doors when Jet turned around. “Everyone,” He said awkwardly, gesturing. “This is my, uh...this was my team! Okami, Sen, and Monuk!”

Monuk didn’t move, and Okami barely nodded. Sen gave everyone a cheerful wave, grabbing the firebender with his other arm. “And this is Kiyi!” He added gleefully, giving her a big, squeezing hug.

Kiyi hesitated for a moment before pulling down her mask and hood. Katara blinked in surprise - the girl couldn’t have been older than twelve years old. “What’s the plan?” She spoke for the first time, her tone quiet but insistent. “We need to make one right away.”

Zuko nodded, stepping in. “I was thinking...Jet said that she worked with a lot of really powerful people, right? Well, the vast majority of powerful people in the Fire Nation are in the capitol. I could take some people back and we could try and see what we find there.”

The new recruits exchanged glances, but the rest of the group just nodded. Jet suddenly frowned, turning to Katara. “Utana’s spirit dealer works out of the Northern Water Tribe - you could always go and see if they know anything.”

Katara winced. “Yeah, um...I think I’ll get a bit distracted if I go…” She could feel herself paling slightly, the mere idea causing her anger to boil. “I would love to!” She added, not wanting anyone to get the wrong idea. “I love our sister tribe! I’ll just...I’ll get distracted, and I want to stay focused on finding Utana.”

Okami raised her eyebrows. “A waterbender can’t go back to a Water Tribe? Does your ex-boyfriend live there or something?”

Jet and Katara resisted glancing at each other, but they still did - just for a fraction of a second - and Katara looked away quickly. Okami saw this, and when she opened her mouth to question them about it, Jet glared her into silence. Instead, he spoke. “Apparently spirit water is extremely sacred, and we’re all involved in some really bad shit.”

Monuk looked surprised - the first emotion he had shown that day. “What?”

“Spirit water?” Sen frowned, glancing doubtedly at Katara. “I thought it came from, like, an endless oasis in the North Pole? Why does it matter if we use it if it’s endless?”

“Because it’s a  _ gift _ !”

Everyone’s heads swiveled back to Katara, whose arms were crossed and face stern. Her disdain deepened. “Spirit water comes from the spirit oasis at the North Pole.”

Sen huffed. “That’s what I just sa-”

“It’s not endless!” She snapped, her voice sharper than Mai’s knives. “It’s _sustained_ through Tui and La. It’s their GIFT to us, and they can take it away if they choose.” She stood a bit taller, eyes flaring. “That’s why we show the water of the oasis the _respect_ it deserves! It’s not to be used lightly - we have no right to take for granted the generosity of the Spirits!”

“Oh.” Sen glanced back at Jet, who was smiling slightly at Katara. He quickly stopped when he saw Okami glaring back at him. “Sorry, I mean, no one knows that around here.”

Katara blew air through her nose, looking away from the man. Zuko stepped in, his hands held up. “Look,” He began, his eyes pleading. “I know this is a tricky situation for everyone, but our main priority right now is to find Ursa, right?”

Jet paled, glancing at Okami before correcting him, “Utana.”

“Right.” Zuko closed his eyes. “...Utana. Finding her is our priority, is it not?”

“Yeah…” Monuk’s eyes narrowed as he stepped forward slightly. “But why do YOU care? You’re Fire Nation if I’ve ever seen it. And that’s the District Governess, for Agni’s sake.” He locked eyes with Jet sternly. “I can’t believe you, out of all of us, actually trust these people.”

Jet spluttered, but before he could form a coherent thought, Zuko growled in frustration. “I want to find her, too!” He retorted, curling his hands into fists. “More than ANY of you understand! So can we STOP with all of this STUPID SHIT? I don’t  _ care  _ what nation you’re from! I just want to find my Mom!”

The room fell silent, all eyes fixed on Zuko as he slowly realized what he had just revealed. His face paled, his mouth opening with a stutter. “Uh, I- I mean, we -”

“Look.” Okami interrupted him, her tone short. She had wrapped her arm around Kiyi, whose eyes were wide, squeezing the girl’s shoulders. “I say we split up where we’re looking for information. We can stay in touch with Utusan.”

Zuko frowned. “Utusan?”

“He’s their messenger hawk.” Jet explained, his eyes lighting up. “You still have him?”

“Yeah, he’ll be happy to see you!” Sen clapped his old friend on the back, causing him to choke slightly. “He’ll probably shit on you, he’ll be so excited!”

“Thanks, Sen.”

“We have a messenger hawk, too.” Sokka nodded. His eyes were focused, like he could see the gears in his head clicking. “We can definitely use that as a means of communication.”

Closing his eyes, Monuk raised his hands before him, “Hold on, slow down...what are our priorities? Who is going where? And why?”

“I’ll take a group of people to the Capitol.” Zuko said firmly, standing up straighter. “That’s where most of the nobles live, and they have to answer to me.”

“You?” Okami squawked, her eyes bulging. She doubled over in laughter. “You think nobles are going to listen to any of us? The only person who has a chance is her!” She jabbed her thumb toward Mai, who raised her eyebrows. 

“Do you know who he is?”

Okami seemed taken aback by the question, turning toward Mai. “Why would I?”

“Ugh, not  _ this _ shit again.” Toph groaned, plopping into the nearest chair. Suki snorted, joining her on the bench in the long hallway. 

Monuk folded his arms. “Are we  _ supposed _ to know who you are?”

“I’m the Fire Lord.”

There was a pause for a moment before Okami laughed. This entire time, she hadn’t let go of Kiyi, who seemed incredibly overwhelmed. Whenever Zuko spoke, she seemed to hold the young girl tighter. This didn’t slip past Jet - he could read Okami’s body language like a child’s book.

_ Keep quiet. Don’t react. DO NOTHING. _

“Fire Lord?” She chuckled, rubbing Kiyi’s shoulder affectionately. “Yeah, and I’m King Bumi’s daughter.”

“King Bumi doesn’t have a daughter.”

Okami’s face fell into a scowl, eyes drilling into Aang. “It’s called sarcasm, you dumbass.”

Aang shrugged. “I just thought you should know.”

“What?” Okami shook her head, “Let me guess - you know King Bumi personally, too!”

“Yes!” Aang smiled brightly. “We were childhood friends, actually!”

Okami stared in mounting frustration before she seemed to notice the obvious. “Hey, you have those Avatar tattoos.”

Aang blinked. “You mean my Airbender tattoos? What about them?”

Okami looked back and forth between Jet and Aang, then Zuko, then back to Aang. “...are you...a big fan of the Avatar? So you got tattoos?”

“He IS the Avatar.” Katara snapped impatiently. “And Zuko is the Fire Lord. Sokka and I are from the Southern Water Tribe, this is Toph Beifong - yes,  _ that _ Toph Beifong - and this is Suki, the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors.” She finished introducing everyone, pausing to add, “And you already know Jet and Mai.”

Monuk stared at Jet. “You were telling the truth the whole time?”

“Yeah, no shit!” He replied angstily. “Is  _ this  _ what I had to do to convince you all that I knew the Avatar and his friends?”

Sen laughed loudly, startling everyone. “This is so awesome!” He grinned, wiggling his fingers in excitement. “We’re like...the most badass team ever to be created!”

Suki raised her eyebrows. “Um, excuse me?”

“Please, can we focus?” Zuko asked, bringing them all back to task. “I know this is really rushed, but we can get to know each other  _ after  _ we get my Mother back.”

Everyone stood, looking at one another. “Do you have a plan or not?” Toph snapped, throwing her hands up in the air. 

Zuko’s eyes widened, and he pointed at himself. “W-was I supposed to make the plan?”

Toph glared in his direction. “You’re the fucking Fire Lord.”

“Wait, I didn’t agree to this!” Okami raised her voice, eyes flashing. “I don’t answer to ANY Fire Lord, and I CERTAINLY -”

“Okami,” Monuk grimaced, resting a hand on her shoulder. Jet glared at him. “We can make a plan together, but we should probably act like we’re under Fire Lord Zuko’s orders. People won’t question us as much.” He looked up at Zuko, who was a bit stunned. “Is there some sort of official document you can sign that will help us get answers?”

“Uh…” He stammered. “Yes! Yes, I can write you a letter of service, that’s a great idea!”

“So, where do you think we should go!” Sen mused, leaning on Monuk’s shoulder. Monuk shrugged him away.

Okami folded her arms, finally pulling away from Kiyi. Katara had also noticed the girl’s discomfort, and she frowned in concern. “Okay, mister Fire Tyrant.” Okami huffed. “Where are you sending us?” When no one answered, she narrowed her eyes, “...the four of us are going to stick together as a group.”

“That’s not a good idea.”

Mai and Jet looked at each other in surprise after they spoke in unison, and Okami fumed. Jet gestured for Mai to explain, and she stepped forward. “The more we split up, the less people will recognize people like you and four and others in this room because they’re together. They might recognize if your whole group is together, but if it’s who of you with a few other people, they might not.”

Okami folded her arms, scowling. “I still don’t think that’s a good enough reason to-”

“It also makes sure each group has a member with different information.” Mai continued, ignoring Okami’s interjection. “A few of you, a few people who have been staying in the Fire Nation Capital, and a few who come from their respective countries.”

Okami opened her mouth to argue, but had no response. Instead, Sen spoke up. “Do we really have to split up?” He asked, looking suddenly very uncomfortable. 

Sokka snorted. “No one is really excited about the idea, but it’s our best bet to find Utana quickly and get us all back here.”

“If it helps us find her quicker, I’m in.”

Okami glanced in horror at Kiyi, but the girl’s jaw was already set with determination. “Kiyi!” She hissed, “You can’t just -”

“Why are you waiting?” Kiyi interrupted angrily, throwing her hands out in exasperation. “These people care about her too, they want to HELP us - it’s the Avatar, Okami! The Avatar and his friends, the ones who  _ beat _ Ozai! She’s MISSING Okami, every second we waste is a second of her life, and we don’t know how much time you have left!” The girl clenched her fists, sparks shooting from around her. “But you don’t even care! You don’t even care that she’s missing! You’re just BITTER!”

The room fell silent. Zuko glanced at Katara, who had stepped forward in concern. Sokka and Suki exchanged worried glances. 

Okami bowed her head. “I...I’m sorry, Kiyi. I have a hard time trusting people, but I should know better. Do you know why?”

Kiyi, still glaring, faltered slightly and shook her head. 

“Because that’s the fighter boy.” Okami nodded over Kiyi’s shoulder and she whirled around, gasping.

“ _ He’s  _ the fighter boy?” Kiyi pointed at Jet, whose eyebrows began to climb higher and higher up his forehead. “You’re lying.”

“Nope.” Okami smiled, and Kiyi turned around, eyes glittering with fascination. “And he was the only person I ever met who was like me. He had a harder time trusting people than I did. And look -” Okami glanced up at the rest of the room. “Look at all these people who are his friends.” She failed to meet their eyes, glancing down. “I should have known better - it’s hard to earn Jet’s trust.”

Zuko glanced at Jet, who met his eyes for a few seconds before they both looked away.

Okami stood up straight, facing the rest of the room. “Fire Lord Zuko,” She stated firmly, “Tell me this plan of yours.”

_ o0o0o _

“How are you feeling about this?”

Zuko jumped, dropping the clothes he was about to put in his travel back as he whirled around. Katara raised her eyebrows, smirking. “Wow, you’re just as jumpy as ever.”

“Have you ever heard of knocking?” Zuko grumbled, gathering his clothes from the floor. Katara walked in and plopped herself down on the foot of his bed.

“Why would I knock?” Katara mused. “The door was open?”

Zuko opened his mouth to argue, but he didn’t have the energy. Instead, he just sighed and continued to pack his bag.

Katara leaned forward. “You didn’t answer my question. How are you feeling?”

“Overwhelmed.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Can I ask you something?”

“I guess.” Zuko shrugged. He pulled his bag shut and reluctantly joined Katara on the foot of the bed. 

“What were the reasons behind who you chose to come with you to the Capital?”

Zuko looked up, thinking to himself. “Hm...well, I need to have some sense of normalcy for the Fire Sages. Toph will help provide that for the Palace Staff as well as me. I wanted more fighters with us, and fresh eyes - fresh minds - to make sure we can find my Mother. So, I thought Kiyi should come. She seems really passionate about finding Mother, almost as much as I am, and she’s a Firebender. She’ll do well in the Capital - most people will approve of me having an Apprentice of sorts.”

Katara nodded impatiently, as if she had expected this. “Why did you choose Okami?” She asked casually, picking at the bedspread next to her.

“She’s a skilled non-bender.” Zuko nodded to himself. “That combined with her knowledge and experience in this spirit drug industry, and she’s an important asset.”

Katara fidgets with her hands. “...and why did you choose me?”

Zuko sat quietly, avoiding her eyes. “I…” He glanced at her for a moment before looking away. “I love all of our friends, and I trust all of them. But I feel safest and calmest when I’m with you, and in a situation like this, I really need a friend.” 

Katara turned to look at him, eyes frowning in concern as she saw his struggling expression. She wrapped herself around his arm, leaning her head on his shoulder. “We’re all your friends, Zuko. You said Toph is like a sister to you.”

“She is.” Zuko smiled softly. “But you’re my safe place.”

Katara simply sat there, her arm linked through his. She was so tired - she could fall asleep on his shoulder at that very moment. His head leaned against her own head, and he yawned.

“I’m happy to be your safe place.” Katara pulled her legs up, tucking them under her. They leaned on each other’s shoulders, and after an emotionally exhausting morning, they fell asleep.


	11. Feet Planted, Like Roots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara's been working on her training, but she wants to keep it a secret. Why? She's not really sure, and the reason might be more complicated than she thought. As she, Zuko, Toph, Okami, and Kiyi take off back toward the Fire Nation Capitol, the desert provides plenty of empty space for anything to happen.
> 
> Sometimes, you just have to work things out, and that's okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, lovelies! Soooo sorry this took me so long! I feel like I say that every time but I promise I mean it!!! I hope the longer chapters are worth the wait, please let me know! Any feedback is appreciated! And, as always, remember that this is a draft, so it's unedited!

“You’re still too light on your feet.”

Suki shoved Katara in the shoulders and the waterbender yelped, stumbling backwards and slamming into the wall. The mirror above her dresser rattled. Suki folded her arms, smirking. “I can’t teach you how to be a quick fighter until you know how to be firm.”

“Why not?” Katara complained, rubbing the back of her neck. “If I naturally move lightly, why can’t you just teach me how to -”

“Because!” Suki interrupted, gesturing for Katara to get back up. “Hand to hand combat is all about being confident. You can’t half-ass anything, you have to go for it. You’re in the middle of the fight. The danger is always less than an arm's length away.” 

Katara stood back up, glaring at Suki. “Okay? Can’t I still be light on my feet?”

Suki folded her arms. “Katara, there’s no use in being light on your feet if you don’t know how to plant them. You  _ have _ to be able to stand your ground - take a hit, parry a punch - and not just fall over every time.”

Katara sighed dramatically, but still got back into one of the stances Suki had taught her.

It had taken a few days for the plans to get finalized. Suki had taken full advantage of the fact that she and Katara weren’t a major part of those meetings, and most of their time had been spent shut in Katara’s room, training. Not that either of them minded - they both enjoyed it, really. But while it was a mild workout for Suki, Katara was sore.

SO sore.

Suki grinned, getting into her own stance. “Now, before I start...what do you need to do?”

Katara thought quickly. “Keep my feet grounded.” She replied immediately. “Like roots.”

“Good.” Suki nodded. “What else?”

“Watch you and anticipate your attacks.” Katara recited. “Be confident in my reflexes and fully commit to all movements.”

Suki’s eyes crinkled, a moment of silence hanging in the air between them before she lunged toward Katara.

The waterbender barely pulled her arm up in time to catch the blow, which was heading toward her shoulder. Her forearm slammed into Suki’s, knocking the punch aside. Suki paused, smiling proudly at Katara before jumping at her again.

This time, Katara realized what Suki was about to do. She had pulled her arm back, looking at Katara’s  _ other _ shoulder. Within a millisecond, Katara reacted with one of the moves Suki had taught her.

She met Suki’s fist with an outstretched hand, grabbing her wrist. Katara twisted, yanking Suki toward her and elbowing her in the stomach. 

With a loud grunt, Suki fell backwards. She gasped for a second before her gulps for air turned into a wheezing laugh. “Ha!” She pulled herself back up on her feet. “That was it!”  
Katara rushed toward her, beginning to apologize, but Suki pushed her away. “This is a part of training, Katara!” She chuckled, stretching out her torso and wincing slightly. “You get cuts and bruises - that’s how you know you’re doing it right.”

“That sounds a bit…” Katara began, reluctant.

Suki smirked. “Fun?”

“Reckless!” Katara finished snidely, folding her arms. Suki rolled her eyes.

“Katara, if I went easy on you, you wouldn’t learn.” She pointed out, walking over to the basin in the corner of the room to get a drink. “If you held back while fighting me, you would never improve. Training is to help prepare you for battle - that includes little injuries. You’ve gotten hurt before!”

Katara nodded absentmindedly. “I’ve gotten….have I?” She thought for a moment. “I haven’t really gotten hurt very often.”

Suki’s eyebrows raised as she swallowed some water, splashing some more on her face to cool down. “After all the fighting we’ve done?” She shook her head. “I don’t believe it.”

“I guess I just usually fight from a distance.” Katara shrugged, joining Suki at the water basin for her own drink. “Or I heal myself before it gets too painful to remember.”

Suki grimaced. “Well, I’m making a new rule, then.”

“Oh?” Katara took a drink. “And what might that be?”

“No healing is allowed until  _ after  _ training is over.”

Katara nearly choked on her water. “W-what? Why?”

“You need to get used to regularly feeling a little bit of pain.” Suki sighed, leaning against the wall. “It’s not fun, but it’s a reality of being a fighter. The more used to it you get, the less it’ll be a hindrance to you in a battle.” Suki glanced down at her feet. “It won’t phase you as much. Your pain tolerance will be a bit higher. It can make a big difference.”

Katara sighed, taking another sip. “Fine.”

Suki glanced outside. “We should probably stop soon. Last I heard, you were leaving late afternoon, and it’s about that time.”

“I’m packed and ready, let’s just keep going.” Katara yawned. The idea of traveling across the desert AGAIN was tiring enough, much less how mentally exhausting the last few days had been. They all helped with the plans, but there were a few people who were more naturally fitted for the task - Sokka, Mai, Zuko, Okami, Jet, and Monuk - had spent most of their time shut in the meeting room talking over details. Meanwhile, Aang had gone back to searching through records, and he had taken the time to catch Katara up on the latest discoveries.

_ “It seems really odd, doesn’t it?” Katara frowned. “That all of these documents just happen to be here? It feels too much like a coincidence.” _

_ “That’s what I thought, too.” Aang drew his lips into a line. “But Mai had a good point - this IS the mercenary capital of the world. If the past Fire Lords wanted to order these assassinations, but they didn’t want the killings to be linked back to them, going through two separate parties would have made it harder to trace. This way, any investigation by the authorities would stop when it led to the Governor, because that’s their superior. If an independent group was pursuing the case, they would have to track down the specific mercenaries, link them back to the Governor, and then back to the Fire Lord.” _

_ “True.” Katara nodded, her eyes narrowing. “But why would they keep the letters? We easily put these pieces together and figured it out.” _

_ “My guess is that it’s insurance” Aang sighed, flipping through a few files. “If the Fire Lord was ever defeated - if another Kingdom happened to somehow overtake the nation - they would have a token of so-called ‘morality’ where they disobey orders or disregarded procedure in order to follow an ethical code.” _

_ Katara raised her eyebrows. “And that ethical code would be paying mercenaries money to kill innocent people?” _

_ “I’m not saying I’m right.” Aang handed Katara another file. “I’m just saying this is what we found, and so far, it’s all we’ve found. And remember, Fire Nation culture is a little different than yours and mine, just like your culture is different than my own.” he sat back in his seat, resting his head against the back of his chair and closing his eyes. “It may seem completely unethical to us, but in the Fire Nation, even a slight betrayal of those closest to you is seen as an incredibly big deal. Given the deity-like regard the Fire Lord has in this nation, the idea of disobeying orders to destroy letters would be unheard of. It would be seen as an extremely dangerous betrayal of the Fire Lord, keeping damning evidence of his crimes.” _

_ Aang kept his mouth open, his breath hitching as if beginning another sentence, but the air just fell out of his mouth in a sigh. He simply sat there with his eyes closed for a few moments before taking a large, deep breath, and sitting back up. Katara watched him in concern, but he didn’t seem to notice. That, or he pretended he didn’t see. _

_ Katara looked around at the piles and piles of papers. “...are you sure you don’t need a break?” She asked anxiously, looking around at the rows of shelves still left to read. “This is a lot to be tackling on your own. It’s a lot to be tackling for ANYONE, really.” _

_ Aang shook his head. “I have to do this, Katara. I don’t think I’ll be able to focus myself properly until I figure this out. There’s a chance I might not truly be the last of my people, and if there’s a sliver of hope that I can recultivate our traditions, I have to try.” His eyes unfocused and he put down the paper he was looking at. “I...I always thought I was going to have to have as many kids as I could. That I didn’t have a choice. And that was something that made me uncomfortable, it made me angry, because I can’t expect that of someone.” Aang met Katara’s eyes. “There were times where I would be awake at night at the palace and feel so guilty. You were my girlfriend, and I loved you. I still do. But whenever I thought about our future together, I just felt so terrible. I can’t just expect you to have child after child, all for the sake of repopulating the Air Nomads.” _

_ Katara’s mouth gaped, and she put her hand on Aang’s shoulder. “This...this wasn’t why you ended things between us, was it?” She asked anxiously, her voice a bit hushed. _

_ Aang looked taken aback. “What? Oh, no, of course not!” He put his hand over hers on his shoulder, smiling reassuringly. “No, Katara, not at all! We talked about this! We dated for four years, and we were kids back when our relationship started, it just...wasn’t the same anymore.” He squeezed her hand. “I just wanted my best friend back, Katara. Please, don’t worry. This doesn’t have anything to do with why I wanted to end our relationship, it’s just something that always bothered me about our future.” Aang’s smile faded slightly. “MY future. Me and whoever would be burdened with the expectation of bearing my children.” _

_ “Repopulating the Air Nomads is essential, Aang.” Katara frowned. “You don’t have to feel sorry for that. It’s just the reality that we’ve been left with, and we’re trying to pick up the pieces.” _

_ Aang pursed his lips. “But that’s MY burden to bear. It should be anyone else’s.” He grimaced. “Yet, I can’t bear children. So it has to be someone else’s. Unless -” Aang grabbed a few papers off the table. “Unless this works. This could be my chance to have a semi normal life. This could be my chance to see my culture alive again during my lifetime - and not have everything be reliant on ME.” He shook the files in his hand slightly, his eyes pained.  _

_ Katara laid a hand on Aang’s arm gently. “Aang…” She asked softly. “...you know that whatever happens, it’ll be okay?” _

_ “No, I don’t know.” Aang replied bluntly, tossing the papers back onto the table. “Expectations of me are always so high, Katara. People assume I’ll be able to revitalize the Air Nomads, bring them back, all on my own. But I’m just one person - being the Avatar doesn’t change that. And I don’t just want to have children for the sake of having children.” Aang held his face in his hands. “Agni, Katara, I’m a monk! I’m supposed to stay celebite other than the triannual Celebration of Roh.” _

_ Katara blinked. “I...I’m sorry, I don’t know…” _

_ “The first week of every fourth month is the Celebration of Roh.” Aang continued. She barely caught it, but Katara noticed his eyes light up just slightly. “Three times a year, it’s a week where we celebrate the spirits and their gifts as well as celebrate us - each other and ourselves - and our individual gifts.” he chuckled softly. “There’s always the best food, and lots of dancing...there’s always music, of course. They’re the only weeks of the year that you’re not supposed to meditate.” _

_ Katara blinked. “That seems a bit...counterproductive?” She asked this as if it were a question. “I mean, isn’t meditating an essential part of being a monk or an acolyte?” _

_ Aang nodded. “Oh, of course!” He answered immediately. “It’s not about saying it’s not important! It’s just a week dedicated to celebrating who we are in our purest selves. The reason it takes so much time and discipline to meditate is because it’s not a part of our nature to do so. The week of Roh is supposed to be about emulating the strength of a spirit, the confidence to be authentically ourselves.” Aang smiled wistfully. “It’s about knowing who you are, and finding joy in that. So, many things like meditation, celibacy, and those who practice fasting are put on hold for that week, and we enjoy being our individual selves as primally as possible. As we were MADE to be.” _

_ Katara nodded slowly. “...that’s really interesting!” She mulled this over in her mind. “I’m just...it still feels a bit contradictory to a lot of things you’ve told me about your culture.” _

_ Aang grinned. “Because it is!” He laughed. “Katara, society is full of rules, no matter where you go. During the Celebrations of Roh, the only rules are basic ethical rules, like don’t hurt people or steal, or lie.” He absentmindedly reached around his neck to the airbender pendant - a large, wooden pendant, as bulky as it was, and began fiddling with it. “Katara, the point of having discipline is that it’s hard. If meditation were easy, everyone would do it. In order to remember what basic freedom is, we must experience it. The ultimate goal is to reach a goal of such discipline that we reach a NEW kind of freedom, and if we forget the joy and importance of freedom, we’ll just be stuck in endless discipline.”  _

_ Katara stared at him, wide eyed, and Aang blushed. “Sorry, I got a little too into it there, I just -” _

_ “No!” Katara cried quickly, reaching out to him. “No, Aang, please don’t be sorry! I love hearing you talk about your culture, it makes me SO happy that you’re happy. I may not understand everything you’re saying, but I’m glad you’re telling me! I’m a little less ignorant now.” _

_ Aang’s eyes fell back on the pile of files on the table in front of him, and his face fell back into the cold, determined exhaustion it had been for the last few days. “Well, Katara, I don’t know what I would do without you.” He sighed, picking up a new paper. “At least, right now, I have to figure out if there’s a pattern to where these people are...and see if there’s more patterns to where they lived and how these letters are worded. I HAVE to find them.” _

_ “Do you think there are Airbenders secretly still alive?” She asked, still trying to understand. _

_ Aang cocked his head at Katara. “...I haven’t told any of you about my discoveries while in the spirit world, have I?” _

_ “No, I don’t think so.” _

_ “I spoke with Avatar Kyoshi and Avatar Yangchen.” _

_ Katara smiled. “That sounds great! You always say they have great advice.” _

_ “They do.” Aang chuckled, setting his papers aside. “But this was different. I was inside Kyoshi’s memories for the first part, and I learned something about the Air Nomads I had never previously known.” He paused to let Katara process. “There were travelling bands of Air Nomads, Katara - ones that were allowed to live in the wilderness across unclaimed lands as well as Earth Kingdom jungles and forests. Kyoshi helped establish their rights and freedoms diplomatically so that they could travel within other countries without being tied to citizenship.” Aang began to light up more and more, details pouring out of his memory. “It was so amazing, Katara, to see these people! They weren’t monks - I thought all Air Nomads - all Airbenders, even - had been monks, but I was wrong! Some were travelling nomads! And you won’t believe what Yangchen taught me!” _

_ Katara’s eyes, already wide, opened even more. “What?” she asked eagerly. _

_ Aang turned toward her in his seat, actively engaged in his explanation. “Airbending isn’t just tied to genetics,” He explained with broad hand gestures. “It’s tied to spirituality. A child with Airbending is, in most respects, a gift from the spirits to that child’s parents for being so spiritually involved.” _

_ Katara nodded, interested in this concept. “But...how can non-benders be spiritually involved?” _

_ “Spirituality and meditation isn’t exclusive to benders,” Aang explained. “Anyone with enough practice and dedication can establish higher levels of spirituality.” Aang chuckled fondly. “One of my favorite Acolytes as a child, Ji’szo, was a nonbender, but she was one of the most practiced meditators at our temple. She was considered a spirit world guide of sorts.” He looked up at Katara. “She wasn’t a bender. But if she had a child, even with a non-bender, there would be a high chance that her child would have Airbending because she spent the majority of her time meditating and participating in other spiritual practices.” _

_ Katara’s eyes widened. “But...that means that...if you DO find these people, then-” _

_ “-I wouldn’t be the only one responsible for the next generation of Airbenders.” Aang finished, his eyes brimming with desperation. “I could teach them everything I know, we could try and start rebuilding our culture and our lands, and if enough people become involved in these activities, I could meet the next Airbender before I even marry.” Aang paused. “If I marry.” _

_ Katara smiled through the last of Aang’s comment, deciding not to argue, and reached over to squeeze his shoulder. “I’m really excited for you, Aang.” She grinned at him, but her expression was more soft than it was enthusiastic. “Send me letters, okay? Keep me updated. I want to know absolutely everything.” _

_ He smiled back at her, a grateful shine glinting in the back of his eyes. “Thank you, Katara.” _

“Agni save me, Katara, what the fuck was that?”

Katara groaned, pulling herself up off the floor again. “I didn’t see your kick coming!” She defended, holding her side. “Damn, that hurt!” 

She eyed the basin of water across the room, but Suki shook her head. “Nope!” She grinned. “Deal with it! It’s just a bruise. You’re moving fine, there’s no fractures.”

Katara scowled as she climbed back onto her feet. “How was I supposed to avoid that?”

“This isn’t Pai Sho, Katara.” Suki smirked. “I can’t teach you how to think on your feet. I can only give you practice.”

She lunged forward, and Katara sidestepped to avoid her fist. Suki blocked Katara’s attempt to elbow her in the stomach, causing the waterbender to stumble slightly. She caught herself just in time to meet Suki’s foot with her arm, stopping a well-placed kick from slamming into her shoulder. Suki grunted, pulling back for a moment before lashing out again.

Katara had barely dodged this last punch when a knock came at the door. Both women froze, chests heaving, and stared at the door. “...yes?” Katara called, trying to sound as if she wasn’t panting.

“Um, Katara?” Her brother’s voice, clearly confused, responded. “Is Suki in there with you?”

They looked at one another for a moment before Katara nodded, and Suki answered, “Yes, Sokka, I’m here. What do you want?”

“Zuko wanted me to get Katara, he said he wants to talk to her before they leave in a little bit.” Sokka continued awkwardly through the door. “Is...everything okay?”

“Yep!” Both of them replied cheerfully. 

Katara looked around them at the disheveled room, and then again at herself. Like Suki, she was sweaty and sore, and she had various red marks on her body where bruises would soon form. “Um,” She continued awkwardly, glancing back up at the door. “We’re talking about some...uh…girl stuff? So, could we finish? It’ll only take a little -”

“Oh!” Sokka yelped, his voice growing smaller as he took large steps away from the door. “Oh, of course! I’m so sorry for interrupting your time - I mean, your talk! Take your time!”

The two girls listened for a few minutes, and once they were sure that Sokka was gone, they burst into laughter. “Why don’t you put your room back together,” Suki snorted, grabbing her normal clothes and heading toward the bedroom. “I’ll change so that I can distract him a bit.”

Katara nodded, still chuckling under her breath. She straightened a few things - the mirror, a few decorative ornaments like paintings and statues - and she cleaned herself with some water from the basin. Her head turned immediately when she heard Suki’s voice.

“Why do you want to keep this a secret?”

Suki had changed and was out of the bathroom, and she settled on the foot of Katara’s bed. She frowned at Katara, who was almost finished changing into her regular clothing. “I mean,” Suki continued, “couldn’t the others help you train, too?”

Katara grimaced. “I don’t want everyone to be teaching me stuff like I’m helpless or something.” she muttered, quickly washing the clothes she had trained in. “And...and everything is so overwhelming right now. I just don’t want to have to explain why I think it’s the safest thing to do. People might disagree and think I should be doing other things with my time, and I don’t want to have to defend my choices. Besides,” Katara looked up to meet Suki’s eyes, smiling. “I kinda want it to just be our secret for a while.”

Suki paused for a moment, thinking. “Okay,” She agreed, smiling warmly at Katara. “But you really should trust your friends enough to talk to them about things like this, Katara.”

_ She’s right _ . A voice in Katara’s mind prodded, but she pushed it away. She still answered Suki, “I know.” Before grabbing her things and winking, going to find Zuko.

_ o0o0o _

The panic that had lived in Zuko’s chest for the last few days seemed to lose it’s courage when Katara opened the door, stepping into his room. “Hey!” She smiled cheerfully, closing it behind her. “You wanted to see me before we left?”

Zuko was sitting on the foot of his bed, and Katara walked over, frowning. She plopped down next to him. “What’s wrong?”

“You know about haze, right?”

Katara blinked. “...that’s the one plant that people chew or smoke to get high, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve heard of it.”

Zuko sighed, leaning forward, his chin in his hands. “Okay. I know this is...this is not easy for you. Or respectful. And I’m so sorry, I really am.”

Katara’s eyes widened slightly, but she waited for him to continue. “This...this network of spirit water brewers and sellers…” he sighed, closing his eyes. “We have to think of it like a drug, like haze, except for rich people. That’s the world we’re diving into. Otherwise, we won’t find my mom.” He glanced up at her. “Once we find her, if you want to shut down this business, I’ll totally help you. But…”

“...But I can’t have problems with it while we’re poking around.” Katara finished, nodding. She felt a stone in the pit of her stomach, a discomfort, but it was swallowed by her determination. 

This was necessary. Without Utana - without Ursa - she didn’t stand a  _ chance _ at taking down this industry. 

Zuko’s head drooped, clearly guilty for what he was asking of Katara, but she put her hand on his shoulder. “Hey,” She reassured gently, “I signed up for this, too. Finding your mom is first priority for us. I can act like it’s no big deal until then - it’s not like you’re asking me to change my mind.”

Zuko nodded slowly, feeling a bit more steady. “...alright. Alright, that sounds good. Thank you.”

Katara nodded, but as Zuko tried to get up and walk away, she grabbed his arm. “Zuko,” She began, hesitating for a moment. He turned back to her in surprise. “Thanks for trusting me.”

He blinked at her, seemingly blank for a few moments before he broke into a wide grin. “Thank  _ you _ for believing in me.”

_ o0o0o _

Saying goodbye was awkward. She hadn’t been apart from Sokka for...a long time, and she didn’t know if it would be weeks or months until she’d see him again. But he promised they’d keep in touch through the messenger hawks - Suki, too - and she felt much better after that. She hadn’t realized how much she had missed Suki until she had begun to get used to having her around again. After spending the majority of the last week training with her, Katara felt a bit empty leaving her behind. She felt empty leaving all of them behind. Especially Aang. She was leaving him  _ again _ when she promised she never would.

She and Aang would send letters, of course. They always did. He made her promise to give Appa and Momo lots of love when she got back to the Palace, since he felt bad for leaving them behind.  _ “Of course,” _ She had vowed, giving him a tight squeeze.  _ “We’ll all miss you. Keep me updated on your search, and let me know if I can do anything to help!” _

And with that, they had left, trudging through the sands back toward Chan Lin.

Back toward the massive rebel army of drug dealers that had tried to kill them.

Personally, Katara thought this was a brilliant plan, of course, and she had made that very clear during the group debrief by scolding Zuko for nearly seven minutes. He assured her, however, that they would be prepared this time. Katara had come very close to flicking him on the head, her head screaming  _ “that’s what you thought last time, you idiot!!!” _ but a smug part of her on the inside knew that she WAS more prepared. She would have more water, they knew what to expect, they had more information, and Katara had begun to develop a new set of skills.

A large cart full of water pouches rolled alongside them, and Katara looked concernedly at Toph. The Earthbender was casually moving her hand in a circle beside her. There were hooks along the metal wheels that dug into the sand, dragging the cart forward as Toph kept them moving in steady circles. They all walked in silence for a while - Bhang Chi was barely a toy town in their wake - but Katara had a concern.

“Toph, are you going to get tired of rolling those wheels?” Katara frowned. “That cart has to be really heavy, with all that water…”

“Please.” Toph scoffed, not even pausing to address Katara. “This is a piece of cake. I like having something to do.” 

Katara pursed her lips. “...Okay, but if you get tired, I can always bend some of the water to make it lighter!”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Toph said dryly, continuing in the same pattern they had started. Katara continued to simply walk by herself, staring around at the vast emptiness of the desert. Should she go talk with Zuko? Hmmm...he looked stressed. She should probably leave him alone for a little while longer so as not to press him.

Sighing, she trudged along behind them, trying to keep her mind occupied. She ran through Suki’s training exercises in her head.  _ Shoulders back. Feet apart, one foot forward. Hands up. Eyes forward. Knees bent. Breathing steady. Feet planted, like roots.  _

“Katara, right?”

She blinked in surprise, slipping slightly in the sand. Okami was standing beside her, eyebrows raised. Kiyi, facing away from their conversation, walked on the other side of Okami.Katara stood up straight and dusted herself off awkwardly. “Yes!” She replied, flustered. “Yes, I’m Katara! And you’re Okami!”

“Yes, I am.” Okami looked over at her companion, nudging her in the ribs. “And I’m sure you remember Kiyi?”

“Oh, of course!” Katara smiled awkwardly. The first time she had met the girl, they had been fighting. It wasn’t the most ideal circumstance to meet. Kiyi couldn’t be more than 13 years old, and she was a talented firebender. Katara was impressed. Still, it went without saying that things were a bit awkward between them, considering their first encounter consisted of Kiyi trying to fry Katara’s face off while Katara smacked her with a door and froze her to the ground.

“So,” Okami continued casually, resting her hands in her pockets. “You and Jet seem to know each other. When did you guys meet?”

“Oh, um,” Katara glanced up at Zuko, who was a few meters ahead of them. He was talking to Toph and appeared not to be listening. “...We met about a year before the war ended - once in the woods, and once in Ba Sing Se.”

“Interesting.” She mused. “You didn’t keep in touch after the war?”

“We thought he was dead.”

Okami looked up in surprise. “Dead?”

“He was hit by a rock.” Katara explained, suddenly feeling very tired. “We thought he had died. We only found out he was still alive in the last few days. It’s been...a bit overwhelming.”

Okami nodded, seeming to put together some pieces of a puzzle in her head. “So, did he help you and the Avatar?”

“A few times.” Katara grimaced, bending some water out of her personal flask and drinking it before continuing. “The first time he betrayed us - he lied, and he had planned on killing a whole town of innocent Fire Nation civilians. We managed to save them before we left. The next time we saw him was in Ba Sing Se, and he was brainwashed by the Dai Lee, but we were able to break through it. He was completely on our side then.” Katara frowned, looking back up at Zuko. “Well, almost all of us. Zuko wasn’t a part of the team yet, and his path had crossed with Jet’s, as well.”

Okami raised her eyebrows. “Do you know what happened?”

“I’m not entirely sure.” Katara thought for a moment. “I know that Jet asked him to join the Freedom Fighters, and Zuko turned him down, and after that Jet somehow guessed that Zuko and his uncle were firebenders and attacked them while they were working at a tea shop. That’s how Jet got arrested and brainwashed in the first place.”

Okami whistled. Her eyes, which were always fixed forward, crinkled in amusement. “Of course,” She smirked, “It would be just Jet’s luck that the first time he opens up and asks someone new to join the Freedom Fighters, it ends up being the crown prince of the Fire Nation.”

Katara snorted. “You sound just like him.”

“She is just like him.”

Katara’s mouth almost opened in shock, but she managed to keep it closed. She wasn’t used to hearing Kiyi speak. Okami looked equally surprised, and before Katara could say anything in response she had grabbed Kiyi’s arm and pulled her away. “Talk to you later, Katara!” She smiled politely, dropping back a few meters. 

Katara’s eyes narrowed as they followed the two figures behind her. If Kiyi saw her looking, she didn’t show it. She just stared at the back of Zuko’s head with an unreadable expression. Okami held onto the girl’s arm protectively, as if someone had threatened her.  _ What is that all about? _

_ o0o0o _

Once they stopped for the night and set up camp, they made a quick dinner. They always had soup. Soup was quick to make, especially with Katara in the group - she could stir and dish out the meal without having to get up from her seat. They all got settled, set up their bedrolls inside their tents, and did a recount of their supplies before sitting around the fire. They ate in an awkward silence around the fire. There were few words spoken - some here and there, a few conversations, but merely polite discussions. They all inhaled their food as quickly as possible and they all disappeared to their tents.

Katara was taking first watch, and she was grateful. She had a few hours to herself when it was cool, which was a rare luxury in the desert. She wanted to take the opportunity to do some waterbending and practice some training exercises Suki had taught her. 

Katara decided that she would do some training first, and she would do waterbending last, since she could wash herself at the same time and not be sticky with sweat when her night shift ended. She was too lazy to change into another set of clothes - there wasn’t a need to, anyway - so she opted to simply train in her blue pants and upper wrappings. 

She stood next to her tent. She spread her feet the way Suki had taught her, holding her hands in the right position. Katara practiced her breathing, intentional and steady. She relaxed her shoulders. She alternated between planting herself firmly into the ground and bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet. Her fists and elbows moved in punches and jabs that were becoming more and more habitual. 

Katara would have never guessed that this would be so calming. She was practicing fighting, after all - fighting was the exact opposite of relaxing! It pumped adrenaline through your body, it elevated your heart rate and stimulated your mind! But it still made her feel more at peace. It now made sense, what Suki told her about martial arts.  _ “When we fight, it’s not just about the strength that’s within ourselves. _ ” She had told Katara, helping her off of the floor one afternoon back at the Bhang Chi Manor.  _ “It’s about the strength of our opponent and how we’re able to use it to our advantage.” _

_ “Then why do you make me learn it by myself?  _ Katara had asked, dusting off her frustration.  _ “Why do you make me do all these individual exercises if the OTHER person’s force is so important?” _

_ “Katara,”  _ Suki had smiled, shaking her head to herself as if amused.  _ “You can’t use someone else’s force and strength against them if you can’t even direct your own. You need to be aware of yourself more than ever.”  _ Taking a step back, Suki looked at Katara thoughtfully.  _ “Benders meditate to help their awareness of Chi, right? Within them and around them?”  _ After Katara had nodded, Suki continued.  _ “This is no different. Fighting needs to be a form of meditation, otherwise you’ll be too imbalanced. You need to be aware of the life around you, the forces around you and within you, before you can try and manipulate them.” _

Suki was right (of course). Katara had never been one for meditation because it never felt...MEDITATIVE. But THIS felt meditative. Going through the motions, her muscles straining, sweating, panting as she punched and sidestepped and listened. At first, so much of what Suki had taught her felt foreign to her bending...be firm as a rock. Absorb this hit. Don’t move. Stay solid. 

But once Katara began catching onto what Suki was teaching her, there came a new wave of lessons. Be as light as a leaf. Dodge this attack. Use my momentum against me - turn my attack against me - BE FLUID. 

Katara knew how to do that.

She did what Suki taught her - the stances she was supposed to practice, the kicks, the punches, the techniques. The only sounds in the desert night were the crackling of the fire, which still flickered in the center of camp. It cast Katara’s shadow on her tent as she trained, creating the only other sounds in the night with her quiet breaths and occasional kicking up of sand.

Time got away from her, and she only realized it was time for watch to switch before Zuko came stumbling out of his tent, bleary eyed. Katara yelped, clapping a hand over her mouth in fear that she would wake the others. Had he seen her training? She didn’t want to talk about this with anyone else yet. She was too overwhelmed. 

“Katara?” The Fire Lord frowned, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He had seen her train plenty of times, and Katara usually wore her underclothes when she trained, but Katara was also an adult now, and Zuko’s brain was not fully functioning quite yet. “I can see your belly button.”

Katara looked down, still panting a bit from her training. “Um…” She rested her hands on her hips, catching her breath. “Yes? Is that okay?”

Zuko blinked again. “Sorry! I mean, there’s nothing wrong with your belly button! I mean, not that there would be! That’s not what I meant, I mean,” Zuko rubbed his temples. “It’s not that seeing your belly button is bad! It’s a nice belly button! But not in a creepy way or anything, because everyone has belly buttons, so it’s normal. Which is why it’s no problem that your belly button is out! It’s totally normal!” Zuko ran his hands through his messy hair anxiously, still not sure how to fix this. “I just was not expecting to see your belly button. But that’s not your fault, that’s definitely my fault!”

Katara folded her arms. “Zuko.”

“Huh?”

“Your shirt is on backwards.”

He looked down and winced at himself. “It is!” he whined, pulling his arms into the shirt and twisting it around. Katara laughed, plopping down into the sand and bending some water out of her flask and into her mouth eagerly. “You really need to take it easy, Zuko.” She advised him, swallowing. “I know everything must be so overwhelming right now, but you can’t drive yourself mad trying to be everything at once.” She smirked. “Sometimes we say things without thinking first. Just say oops.”

Zuko sighed, sitting next to her. “Oops.” He mumbled. Katara chuckled. 

He glanced up at her, sighing. “Do I really overthink everything?” He asked, resting his jaw in his hands. “Or am I just paranoid?”

Katara pursed her lips. “Maybe a bit of both. It depends. To me, what I notice the most is that you apologize too much.”

Zuko’s eyebrows furrowed. “Apologize?” He repeated, as if this was a foreign word. “I don’t apologize too much, that’s preposterous.”

“Oh?” Katara folded her arms. “Then what were you stuttering about my belly button for the last two minutes?”

Zuko opened his mouth in outrage, but he had nothing to say, so he closed it. A log collapsed and fell into the fire, creating a flare that lit up the darkness, illuminating the two of them for a few moments. Something caught Zuko’s attention, and he narrowed his eyes. “Katara, what happened to your shoulder?”

“What?” Katara followed his squinting eyes to her upper arm, where a massive bruise was swelling. “Oh.” 

_ Well, shit. _

“It’s a bruise.” Katara answered, shrugging off the question. Zuko was already concerned, however, and his attention had been caught by another darkening bruise on her ribcage - this one bigger. Katara remembered that kick - Suki had made it very clear that she wouldn’t go easy on Katara. She was true to her word, as always.

“Well, no shit, it’s a bruise!” Zuko snapped, meeting her eyes. “What happened? It looks like you were in a fight! Is that another one?” Zuko pointed at Katara’s leg, and she didn’t answer him, but they both knew the answer. “Katara, what in Agni’s name -”

“Nothing!” She hissed, pulling her knees up to her chest. “I’m fine, Zuko! Don’t worry about me! We’re fine! The two of us are FINE!”

He simply stared at her. He glanced at the dark bruises, eyes wide. “Agni - um, I’m sorry, I didn’t think you would get that upset by me asking...but...Katara, I’ve never seen you with...with  _ wounds _ before. Why haven’t you healed them?”

Katara paused. Why hadn’t she healed them?  _ Because feeling the pain is a part of the training. Pain is a part of life. Life is the force we live within. We must respect it to have any hope of channelling it. _

She knew the answer.  _ “I’m not ready yet as a non-bending combatant to rely on my healing abilities.”  _ But she wasn’t ready to talk about this. No, she wasn’t. Katara would keep getting stronger, she would keep learning, keep growing, and she didn’t have the time to combine that with the rest of her life. Her chaotic, insane life. Her life wasn’t even a fraction of Zuko’s mess of a life, and she was in no position to complain to him or ask anything of him. No, she was fine. She needed to deal with this on her own.

“Katara?”

She snapped back into reality. “Yes, um, what?”

“Why haven’t you healed yourself?” Zuko reached for her arm but stopped a few inches away. His hand hovered there for a few moments. “What happened?”

Katara wrapped her arms around her waist, and Zuko pulled away, not wanting her to be uncomfortable. He didn’t leave, though, and he still stared at her in concern.

“I’m fine, Zuko.” She assured him, taking another drink. “I’ll...I’ll tell you about it another time, okay? There’s just a lot happening right now.”  _ And for some reason I don’t want to talk about it. _

“Okay…” Zuko hesitated. “But...Katara, you shouldn’t let people hurt you. And if you can heal yourself, you should do that -”

“I know I can heal myself, Zuko, I’m not stupid.”

Zuko pulled back slightly at her tone, his eyes widening. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything bad, I just-”

Katara closed her eyes. Why did she want to keep this a secret so badly? She was just learning non-bending combat. She was learning how to defend herself, how to fight, how to be a warrior without her bending. It wasn’t that big of a deal.

_ “Ataata!” Katara looked around wildly. Her eyes, blurry with tears, blinked through the snow and ash. “Ataata!” She cried desperately. “ATAATA!” _

_ She saw movement out of the corner of her eye, and a temporary wave of relief crashed over her as her father emerged from the chaos. “Katara, what are you doing?” He demanded, glancing over his shoulder. “Go back home to your mother!” _

_ “There’s a man with her, one of the big ones with the horns!” Katara felt her legs quaking beneath her. Hadoka’s eyes widened at this, and without a moment’s hesitation he ran forward, scooping up his daughter and sprinting back the way she had come. _

_ “Katara,” He panted, “Have you seen your brother?” _

_ “No…” Katara cried. He didn’t respond, and when they got to their home Hadoka quickly set her down and ran inside. _

_ Katara made to run after him, but around the back of the house came the man. He looked down at her through his helmet, eyes empty, and Katara got angry. “Go away!” She screamed, bending the snow at their feet. But the snow didn’t move. She tried again, but she felt nothing. She screamed in frustration, grabbing some snow and throwing it. The man simply chuckled and walked away, shaking his head as he went.  _

_ Tears welling in her eyes, Katara turned and ran into the house.  _

_ She skidded to a halt and dropped to her knees, choking in a sob. She had to heal this wound - fast. She reached for her flask, but nothing was there.  _

_“It’s okay, Katara.” Jet smiled, wincing. “...I’ll be fine. You have to find Appa, just go, okay?”_ _  
__Katara shook her head, grabbing her brother’s flask and dumping water over Jet’s wound. She put her hands around it, beginning to heal it, except she didn’t. Nothing happened. Her hands sat, dark, on top of Jet’s wound, the water she had poured over it still running down his sides. “No!” She grabbed the flask and got out more water, but the bending didn’t obey her command. It splattered across the ground in a puddle, and once it was empty, her tears fell into it with little ripples._

_ “What you gonna do without your bending?” _

_ A flash. Katara held Aang in her arms, static in the air around her. She laid him down in Appa’s saddle, reaching for the vial of spirit water. Her hand grasped air - nothing, nothing was there.  _

_ Why would they give such precious water to a random girl like you? _

_ Katara pleaded with herself, taking her water flask and trying to bend it out. Letting out a frustrated, desperate scream, she poured it over Aang’s back. She held her hands above the wound, but she felt NOTHING, there was NOTHING THERE. _

_ Azula’s screams split through her mind. She clenched her eyes shut, trying to listen to the WATER, the WATER.  _

_ I am a MASTER WATERBENDER, and my element is ALL around me. _

_ I...I AM a waterbender, and my element is all around me. _

_ I am a waterbender.  _

_ I am...am I? No, I AM a waterbender.  _

_ I  _ _ AM _ _.  _

_ I HAVE TO BE. _

_ “Zuko, I’m so sorry…” She sobbed, grasping at his torn clothing. Could she make a bandage? Stop the bleeding? A rational voice in her mind told her to put pressure on the wound, so she did - she tore off a large part of her clothing, held it against the wound and scrambled to stop the blood. “Zuko, please, please…” She begged.  _

“Katara?”

Katara fell back into reality with a jolt, gasping. Zuko knelt beside her, eyes wide. “Katara, what’s going on? What’s wrong?”

Her breath was coming in small gasps, and Katara sat up, holding onto Zuko for support. She frantically pulled at his nightshirt for a moment, but there was no blood. Only a scar. “Katara?” Zuko asked again, astonished. “Katara, please, talk to me, what -”

“You’re okay,” she said, mostly for herself, forcing a deep breath. “Thank Agni, Zuko, you’re okay.”

He looked around. “...Of course I am?” He was beginning to reflect her panic. “Katara, I’m getting really freaked out, what is happening?”

“I don’t have my bending!” Katara gripped his arm. “It’s gone, I don’t have it!”

Zuko frowned even deeper. “Katara, you were literally just bending water from your flask to drink it. I don’t know what just happened, but...you’re okay. We’re okay.”

_ “We’re okay.” _

Shaking, Katara stared at him for a moment before reaching for her flask. A sob of relief fell from her mouth as she twirled her fingers around the water and it responded, winding up her hand. 

“Katara,” Zuko reached forward, wanting to comfort her, but deciding against it. He didn’t want to make it worse. “Please...I don’t know what’s happening, but clearly, it’s hurting you. You don’t have to do this alone - isn’t that what you always tell me?”

Katara took another deep breath, steadying herself. She was fine, she was here with Zuko. And he was right. She was being a bit hypocritical. “I’m afraid.”

Zuko sat back slightly, relieved that she was finally speaking to him but not the least bit consoled. “Afraid?” He asked, at rapt attention. “Afraid of what?”

“Afraid of losing!” Katara sobbed. Zuko reached out, but again, pulled away in fear of making things worse. “I’m afraid of losing my bending, I’m afraid of losing more people I love, I’m afraid of not being  _ strong _ enough, not being able to -”

“Katara!” Zuko pulled back in shock. “Katara, where is this coming from?”

The waterbender hugged her knees. “That chi-blocker took Toph’s bending away and put her to sleep, and they knocked ALL of us out while Toph was preoccupied, and without a huge and very lucky coincidence, we may have never woken up.” She met his eyes with her own, which were still glistening with tears. “I can’t do ANYTHING without my bending, Zuko!” She felt the tug in her throat, and she released a dam of emotions. “What would happen if something happened to me? If my bending was taken away, if I was hurt, if I was knocked out? Without my healing, half of us would be dead!” Katara’s voice began to hiccup with sobs again. “I didn’t know how to bend, and my mother died. I was too weak to help Jet, and I thought he had died for years. I  _ can’t  _ let anyone else…” Katara trailed off, scrambling for the right words. “I can’t feel HELPLESS, Zuko, I CAN’T! I  _ have  _ to do something!”

Zuko didn’t back away this time as Katara wept, and instead he sat next to her again. He cursed himself, he cursed all of them as he watched her cry - Agni, they had failed her. They had taken her for granted and she was paying the price. “Katara, you aren’t helpless. You’re smart, you’re so passionate, and you’re strong-”

“But without my bending, I don’t know how to fight.” Katara clenched her fists. “You fight with swords, you don’t need firebending to defend yourself. I rely completely on waterbending. I CAN’T do that anymore.” As her mind returned to her training with Suki, she began to regain control of her breathing again. “I’ve...I’ve been training with Suki. She says she’ll teach me as much as she can, and I already feel much more confident about things, but I still have so much more to do.”

Zuko’s eyes widened. “...I knew you and Suki were hanging out a lot, but I thought you were talking about the -” He stopped short, paling. “Uh, heh, well, I thought you were talking about...things!”

Katara looked at him suspiciously, but she continued on. “No, we were training.” She sighed, plucking at the cool sand beneath them. “She says she won’t teach me anything else until I’m proficient in hand to hand.”

“I would agree with that sentiment.” Zuko nodded. “Is that where you got your bruises?” He asked, smiling slightly. Katara smirked. 

“Yes,” She sighed. “Suki doesn’t go easy on me, and I’m glad.”

Zuko gazed at her for a moment. “Why didn’t you want to tell me?”

“Hm?”

“Why were you keeping it a secret?”

Katara averted her eyes. “I’m...I’m scared, Zuko. But you’re going through much more than I am right now, and I’m having a hard time processing my own emotions. I didn’t really want to talk about it at all, but I really didn’t want to complain to you when you have so much more on your plate.”

“Katara,” Zuko’s face fell. “This isn’t a comparison - we’re friends, we support each other. It’s mutual. Please,” He reached out, and this time, he didn’t pull away - he put his hand atop of hers. “Don’t isolate yourself.” He rubbed his thumb across the back of her hand gently, and Katara nodded. 

She met his eyes. The fire reflected off of them, like tiny sparks, and they were so full of conviction. “Okay.” She said, and Zuko visibly relaxed. Katara squeezed his hand gently before pulling away, turning and grabbing her light sleeping shirt, pulling it over her head. “But seriously, Zuko, this means that you can’t bottle things up, either. I’m always here for -”

Katara was cut off as Zuko leaned over suddenly, pulling her into a hug. Katara stood, stunned, for a moment before returning the hug, wrapping her arms around him. He buried his head in her shoulder as if it weighed a million pounds, shaking slightly. “Zuko?” Katara reached up and held the back of his head in concern. “Are you okay?”

Zuko pulled away suddenly, scooting away. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, his eyes a bit red. “I didn’t mean -”

Katara reached out to him. “No, Zuko, it’s okay!” She assured him. “I was just wondering what was wrong, that’s all...I wasn’t expecting that.”

_ No one’s ever hugged me like that. _

Zuko hesitated before moving back to his place next to her. “I’m sorry,” He said again, “I…” He fumbled with his words. “...Please stay?”

Katara frowned. “I’m not planning on going to sleep any time soon, so sure.”

“No, I mean…” Zuko looked down. “I mean, stay with me. Until we fix all of this.”

Katara wasn’t sure how to respond. “All of this?” she repeated, imagining the scale. 

Zuko glanced up anxiously. “No pressure, though!” he squeaked, looking incredibly stressed. Katara grabbed his forearm.

“Relax,” She pleaded, and he nodded, closing his eyes. 

“Right,” He straightened up slightly. “Katara, you’ve helped me considerably in a few days, and you’ve brought out the best side in me. Your insight and...just...YOU, is invaluable to finding my mother and making sure I straighten things out in the Fire Nation.” Zuko let his more official demeanor slide away, letting his eyes meet hers. “And...your friendship has been a lifesaver. I don’t know what I would have done without you the last few weeks.”

Katara rested her head on his shoulder. “One thing at a time, okay?” her arm was wrapped around his, and she rested her hand on top of his own. “We’ll find your mom, then go from there.”

She felt Zuko nod. “I’m sorry if that was...weird.” He apologized softly. “I’m not really taking the time to process any of this. I’m not sure what to do. I really don’t know what I would have done without you here, Katara, there were a few times during the meetings I almost left to go find you.”

“Why?”

“Because I was too overwhelmed.”

“But…” Katara frowned to herself. “Couldn’t you just take a walk? Or go to your room for a little bit?”

Zuko paused. “I guess…” He shrugged. “But when we’d be talking about...my Mother, there’s so much I never knew, so much I’ve always wondered about, so much that I thought I knew that was a lie. My first reaction was to find you.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

There was another pause as Zuko pondered this. “That’s a good question.”

They sat there for a few minutes, watching the fire light up the sand, making bits of it sparkle as if they were stars. The moon was bright, and it’s cool light was much different than the warm glow of the fire. It was calming. It was a while before Katara spoke again. “You know I like hugs, right?”

“What?”

“I like hugs, so it’s okay to hug me if you need to.”

Zuko laughed slightly. “No one NEEDS hugs.”

“Of course we do!” Katara sniffed, turning to glare at him. “We all need love and affection - it might not always be hugs, but for me, hugs are always welcome. Unless it’s really bad timing.”

Zuko looked like he wanted to argue, but he felt himself agreeing. “Could...could I hug you again?” He asked meekly. 

Katara smiled softly at him. “I know I could use one, and considering what you’re going through right now, I think that’s a good idea.”

You’d think hugging in the sand in the middle of the night would be awkward, after a few emotional breakdowns and heart to hearts, but it was just the natural order of events. It was what was supposed to come next.

Toph came out when she knew they were asleep. She was a bit disappointed - she had only woken up for the last bit of their conversation, and soon enough, their heart rates were low. She emerged from her tent, bickering to herself. 

Toph stood there for a moment, getting a feel for the situation, before smirking at herself. Katara lay tucked under Zuko’s chin, arm sprawled across his chest. Zuko’s arm was around Katara’s shoulders, and they were both fast asleep.

“Like a drug,” Toph whispered to herself, highly amused. She was still annoyed that they had fallen asleep while on watch, which was the number one thing not to do on watch, but she decided to let it pass. “One hour and they’re high off each other like a damn drug.”


	12. The Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko, Katara, Toph, Okami, and Kiyi arrive in the Fire Nation capitol, but things are already going downhill - and fast. Thanks to the help of Ty Lee and the Kyoshi Warriors, they're abe to rescue Azula and escape. Toph and Katara both talk to Kiyi. Jet goes to Suki for guidance when an informant has critical information. Zuko and Katara deduce more about Azula's condition - some of which is rather disturbing - and Aang has a serious conversation with Nasoki and Ty Lee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my beautiful lovelies!  
> I hope this chapter came a bit faster! We're getting to the good parts of the story, and things will really start getting spicy soon! I'm so excited to hear what you all think!
> 
> As always, please remember that this is a rough draft, since I post the chapters immediately after finishing them (I want you to have the content!) and hardly revise at all.
> 
> I absolutely LOVE feedback - comments, private or public, and pms give me immeasurable amounts of joy! My twitter handle is @AleviahWolfe if anyone wants to dm! I'd love to hear thoughts, suggestions, and talk!
> 
> As always - I really hope you enjoy!

Katara still held her water flask tightly, even after they crossed the border out of the Rotaki District. They had woken up the next morning, packed up, and prepared for a battle. 

They had no idea where the rebels of Chan Lin had gone. Back when Aang was in the spirit world, Toph had created a sandstorm in order to find the rebel army. According to the master earthbender, they had been extremely close when the lot of them had been knocked unconscious, and that wasn’t even the worst part.

No one had seen them since.

It might have been relieving for some to expect a fight and not get it, but on the contrary, it was much more terrifying. They were almost to the Capitol - they had made spectacular time without so many interruptions. Yet, as they approached the Capitol, Zuko felt less and less at ease.

The Capitol with no name. Zuko’s home.

Zuko chided himself for being so on-edge. He was abnormally close to Katara as they walked swiftly through the sand, which was gradually becoming more solid and compact. Every once and a while he had to pull his arm back to his side, as it would creep up in front of the waterbender protectively. 

Zuko knew it was foolish. Katara didn’t need his help - she didn’t need anyone’s help. Who was he to embarrass her in such a way? They had barrels of water for this exact reason - hydration was of the utmost importance in the desert, and if anyone could tip the scales in a fight, it was Katara. 

But the images still swam in Zuko’s head. The knife to Katara’s neck. His gut wrenched at the thought, his mind replaying the scene. The man was speaking, antagonizing Aang, and Katara retorted angrily without a second thought of the blade pressed against her throat. Katara whispering to the little girl, who she had surrendered herself to save, that everything would be okay. It made Zuko’s stomach churn.

Only a few streets from the Palace, they silently stepped onto the bricked pavement. The sun had just set, and the streets were empty. It was too early for the streets to be empty. Where was the evening traffic, the rush of civilians shopping and trading on their way home from work? 

Zuko felt Katara tense next to him, and there was a soft scrape of metal as Okami unsheathed her twin blades. Zuko held up his hand, beckoning them forward. They followed him silently, stopping at the corner of the street. “By the spirits…” he whispered, his fist falling to his side. He rushed across the street, subtlety forgotten. 

In the back alley along the Fire Nation Palace, a body lay heaped in expensive royal robes. Toph hissed, chasing after Zuko, and after an uneasy glance, Katara and Okami followed. Kiyi trailed behind. 

They gathered around the body, which Zuko carefully rolled over. He pressed his lips together, and Katara gasped quietly. “Zuko, isn’t that -”

“Fire Sage Aizok.” Zuko finished grimly, setting him down on the ground. He gently closed the old man’s eyes, which stared upward blankly. The Sage’s robes and the ground below him were stained with blood, which cracked as Zuko lay him back down on the concrete and stood back up. 

“Who is that?” Okami whispered urgently, pointing one of her blades at the man.

Zuko looked up at her, face pale in the dim light. “One of my Fire Sages, Aizok Fe.” He replied, purposefully not looking at the body. “He was the only Fire Sage in favor of sending troops to Rotaki in order to purge the rebels.”

“Do you think…” Katara began, horrified. “Do you think the other Sages  _ killed _ him?”

“I don’t know.” Zuko looked down the alley. “But this isn’t good. This isn’t good at all.”

Zuko took deep, calming breaths. “I should have never left,” He began muttering, resisting the urge to pace back and forth. “I left, I took almost every person who could stand in their way, it was the  _ perfect _ time to stage a coup-”

“Slow down.” Toph snipped quietly, grabbing his sleeve. “Let’s go with what we know now. Who are the biggest suspects?”

“The Fire Sages.” Katara replied immediately.

Zuko nodded, closing his eyes. “And whoever these Assassins are from, assuming they aren’t from the Fire Sages.”

“Okay.” Toph pulled back, folding her arms. “So, knowing that, what’s our next step.”

The group stood in heart-thundering silence before Zuko suddenly turned to Katara, eyes wide, grabbing her arm. “Azula!” 

_ o0o0o _

Ty Lee grimaced, peering around the corner. A blast of fire caused her to pull her face back quickly. She turned back to the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors, who stood at the ready. “Whatever happens,” She commanded, cracking her knuckles. “Do NOT let them in that door!”

They all nodded, and as the thundering voices and footsteps drew closer, the warriors drew their weapons. 

Ty Lee would always resort to Chi Blocking. It was the most efficient, after all. But there were so, so many of them, that after punching the pressure points of a few of the masked intruders, the acrobat was forced to fall back. 

Fire hit their shields and blossomed outward like a deadly flower. One Kyoshi warrior flung her sword toward a firebender, cutting the man’s hand off completely. Screams echoed through the hall.

_ o0o0o _

Zuko was still shocked that he remembered the secret entrance to the palace, even as Toph closed the stone door behind them. His years of sneaking through the passageways out into the city had paid off, after all.

It didn’t take long for them to reach a familiar corner of the passage, where Zuko hissed at Toph to quietly roll the stone door aside and they burst into the great hall.

He tensed at the emptiness of the palace. He had snuck inside, thankful for all the hidden passageways he had found in his youth, and had been leading the group toward his bedchambers when he heard a faint scream. He looked upward, a winding staircase beside him echoing the call. 

One of the intruders lunged toward the metal door, but a Kyoshi Warrior kneed him in the neck, and he crumpled to the ground. Another warrior yelled, and her partner kneeled down, holding her shield up at an angle. The woman with the shield shoved outward after the first warrior jumped onto the metal platform, further propelling her friend forward as she lunged at the intruder. She tackled the enemy woman, who was about to turn the handle, and began to wrestle with her on the ground. 

Ty Lee grabbed a man’s outstretched arm, swinging him around and slamming him into his friend. As they stumbled back, holding their heads, Ty Lee pushed them down the steep stairwell, where they tumbled. 

Ty Lee turned at the sound of one of her fellow warriors crying out, the flame of a firebender searing her arm. She looked up in horror just as another one of her friends jumped in front of the metal door, shielding it from an outreached hand. Ty Lee gasped in horror as the enemy rammed his hand into her friend, instead, slamming her against the door. Her back arched against the handle with a sickening crack, and she screamed. 

Ty Lee barely had time to block a blow from another enemy. She snarled in anger, lunging forward. She lashed out - punching and jabbing and kicking, blocking and attacking, striking and pummeling the intruders but they  _ just kept coming _ . Dozens and dozens of bodies seemed to fall around her, immobilized, piling on top of each other but they were endless. 

Ty Lee’s vision was too much of a blur to recognize, at first, the fine red robes apart from the black tunics of the intruders. But sparks surly grabbed her attention, and at the sight of lightning, her heart stopped.

The man was completely calm, at ease with himself as electricity sparkled around him. He wove his hands in broad arcs, twisting the energy into a sharp point at his fingertips, like an arrow of lightning. He pointed it straight at the metal door - straight through Ty Lee, straight through so many of her warriors. 

Before Ty Lee could so much as scream, someone jumped in front of her. 

Zuko barely had time to get into a proper stance before catching the blast of lightning, absorbing the energy. The adrenaline coursing through his body pushed one thought to his mind:  _ redirect the energy, Zuko _ . 

With a disgruntled yell, Zuko shot the lightning away from them, shattering a window overlooking the city. The lightning shot up into the sky, flickering to death behind the clouds.

His friends stood behind him, ready for battle. Katara’s eyes were wide.

_ She shot him with her lightning, she hit him with it, she killed him, now she’s going to kill me, what am I going to do, how could I let this happen, this is all my fault - _

“Saiko!” Zuko’s voice boomed through Katara’s spiraling thoughts, pulling her back into reality. The fighting around them had stopped for everyone to stare. The Fire Lord’s eyes blazed with white hot fury as he stepped forward, gaze never leaving his Head Sage. “You’ve committed high treason, Saiko.” He snarled. The flames of the torch sconces on the walls began to climb higher and higher. “How does it feel?”

The old man scowled right back. He was still in his lightning stance, and he calmly stood, folding his hands back into his robes. “It was foolish for you to return.” He sneered humorlessly. “But it makes things easier for us, to have you all in one place.”

Katara stepped forward, growling under her breath. The ground beneath them rumbled, and everyone’s attention turned to Toph, but the stone broke apart as geysers of water spilled into the hall. The intruders fell back, confused, and Katara swept them all against the far wall, freezing them there. Saiko, who was upside-down against the wall, struggled to maintain his cool demeanor.

Using more water from the burst pipes, Katara kept freezing the enemies, filling in the cracks they created, refreezing the ice the firebenders melted. She grimaced in concentration, turning quickly to face her friends. “Get her out of here!” She grunted, continuing to trap their foes underneath the ice. 

Toph nodded, stabling the stone under their feet, which had begun to shift and fall apart. Zuko burst through the metal door, and a few agonizing minutes later, emerged carrying a limp bundle of fabric. “Let’s go!” He shouted, gesturing with his head.

They began racing down the stairs, the Kyoshi warriors anxiously carrying their wounded, but Zuko halted, staring up after Katara. “Katara!” He cried. “Katara - come on!”

“I’ll follow you!” She shouted through gritted teeth. “Just...GO!”

Zuko looked down at Ty Lee, who tugged on his arm. “We’ll distract them.” She whispered. “You get out of here - I don’t care how, just leave! We’ll distract them, lead them away, and we’ll escape on Appa. They’ll think we’re you.”

“Okay…” Zuko thought for a moment. “They’ll track you, so your best chance is to go to Bhang Chi. Fill everyone else in on what’s going on.”

Ty Lee nodded. As soon as she gestured at the rest of her warriors to turn the corner on the third floor, Zuko glanced back up at Katara. “Katara!” He yelled up at her, glancing down at the Kyoshi Warriors. They stood around the corner, waiting. Zuko looked back up. “Come on!”

With a grunt, Katara stopped holding the ice in place and immediately it began cracking. Zuko ran down the remaining steps, resisting the urge to turn at the sound of Katara vaulting over the railing down onto the stairway behind him. She cursed under her breath, muttering to herself, but followed Zuko quickly around the other corner. 

Okami, Kiyi, and Toph stood waiting for them. They crawled into the dark passage where the wall sat, and as soon as they were secure, Toph gently sealed the wall back into place. 

Footsteps echoed down the stairs, clambering above them. Zuko closed his eyes in shame as he heard the Kyoshi Warriors shout, running the other way, leading their enemies astray. The noises faded and they sat in silence. Toph nudged Zuko in the ribs. “Which way?” she whispered. 

Zuko navigated them through the damp tunnels. Toph moved the stone panels and doorways as silently as possible, closing them behind the group. 

“Where are we going?” Katara whispered from behind Zuko.

Zuko turned his head slightly so that she could hear his response. “We’ll be exiting the back of the palace. Out by the docks.”

“How do you even know about these tunnels?” Okami hissed. “They have to be centuries old, all this rust and wear!”

Zuko pursed his lips. “...I used to search every inch of this palace for my mother when she disappeared. For years, I looked for her, for a clue or some sort of sign. When I found these tunnels, I searched them, too. I searched them so much over the span of a few years that I pretty much memorized them.”

Silence.

“Who else knows about them?” Okami replied, her tone businesslike. 

“As far as I know?” Zuko mused, trying to ignore how tired his arms were getting. “None. But that’s highly improbable.”

Zuko felt as if he was leaving his soul in the Fire Nation capital. Katara was swift, and Okami seemed to know her way around a boat, as well. Katara was hesitant about stealing a boat at first, but Toph seemed to shake her out of her hesitancy, and Okami set straight to work. The boat was pulling away from the docks by the time anyone had noticed anything peculiar, and Katara made sure their exit from Fire Nation waters was swift. Zuko sat in the midst of stacks of crates, numb, still holding Azula in his arms. Kiyi stood a few feet away from him, looking down at her with an unreadable expression.

“Is that your sister?” She asked blankly.

Zuko pursed his lips. “...Yes.”

“What happened to her?”

Zuko looked down. Azula’s eyes were slightly open, staring sightlessly. She had beads of sweat dripping down her face. It had been hot in the tunnels, and she was wearing a straight-jacket that also restrained her feet. “She got sick in the head.” Zuko finally answered, swallowing the lump in his throat. He cursed that lump. “She used to be on the wrong side, back when we were kids. I was thankful enough to learn better, but she never got the chance.”

Kiyi gazed down at Azula, a strange expression lighting her eyes. Before they could exchange any more words, Okami rushed over to them, grabbing Kiyi’s arm. “Kiyi!” She scolded, as if she had been doing something outrageous. She glanced up at Zuko apologetically, but there were layers to her expression that were difficult to decode. Zuko narrowed his eyes, but before he could study her any further, Okami turned around and pulled Kiyi away. The young firebender turned and gave Zuko and Azula one last unreadable glance before trailing next to Okami obediently.

Katara brushed off her hands. The cloudless night was bright enough for them to see across the water, and Katara had propelled them right out into open ocean. The adrenaline of the night was beginning to fall, leaving in its place dread and emptiness.

“What was that all about?” Katara frowned at Okami’s retreating back as she ushered Kiyi below deck. “She seems so strict with Kiyi. It’s a little concerning.”

“Yeah.” Zuko said distractedly. Katara sat beside him on the crates, putting her hand on his shoulder.

“Hold still, okay?” Katara said softly, taking some water out of her flask. 

Zuko frowned as she wrapped the water around her fingers, moving forward. “Katara, what are you-”

“Shhh!” Katara rested her fingertips on Azula’s temples. She furrowed her brow, concentrating, the healing glow of her water shining across her face. Zuko’s heart beat anxiously, his mind racing with all the possibilities of what she could say, what she might find, but when his eyes fell upon her face, lit up by the soft light, he felt tethered. 

Katara pulled away from Azula, opening her eyes. Zuko looked at her expectantly, and Katara blushed a bit before responding. “...what?”

Zuko frowned. “What do you mean, what? What did you learn, what did your healing tell you?”

Katara raised her eyebrows. “It’s...it’s not LIKE that. It’s more of a feeling.”

“Okay, so what did you feel?”

Katara paused for a moment. “She feels...alone. Numb. I don’t know how to describe it…” Katara hesitated. “It’s like...it’s like she’s a mouse-crab, retreating inside her shell because she doesn’t know what else to do. She just seems so overwhelmed.”

Zuko stared down at his sister’s face, finding it hard to believe so many emotions could be swirling behind her blank eyes. “So, what can we do?” He found himself asking halfheartedly.

“I…” Katara winced as if her next words would hurt. “...I think she just needs… interaction.”

Zuko, despite himself, felt his face drop into a doubtful expression. “Really? That’s it?”

“Of course not!” Katara snapped, bending her water back into her flask. “She needs  _ normal  _ interaction. Everything felt...too uptight. Too scared. I think she’s so deprived of actual human interaction, everything was so formal and manipulative either on her part or the other person’s that she doesn’t understand what real interaction is.”

Zuko nodded, trying to understand. “Mai used to tell me that the first time she noticed something was off with Azula was when she helped Sokka, Suki, and I escape the Boiling Rock. She said that Azula lost it, and if Ty Lee hadn’t Chi Blocked her, she probably would have shot Mai with her lightning.”

Katara looked up at the stars thoughtfully. “Maybe that was the breaking point,” she mused sadly. “The loss of the only two friends she thought she had.”

“Maybe.”

They sat in silence, the boat slowly cutting through the waving water, before Zuko finally asked, “So, what do we do?”

“I think…” Katara hesitated. “I think our first step should be to just treat her like a normal person. It’ll be weird at first, since she’s not responsive, but it’s the best bet I have.” Katara sighed, looking over her shoulder toward the endless horizon of ocean. “I don’t have answers, Zuko. All I can do is listen and then try to do what I think is best. I’ll evaluate her every day, I’ll make sure to catch if something changes - I’ll be the first to know if there’s anything we can do. I’m going to listen as much as I can. And I’m going to need you to trust me.”

Zuko met Katara’s eyes.

Why was he hesitating? The truth was, he was hesitating because Katara shouldn’t be helping Azula. Azula, who had tried to kill her on multiple occasions. Azula, his sister, who had brought so much pain and turmoil on their friends. Who had thrown Suki, Mai, and Ty Lee in prison along with the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors. Why did Azula deserve Katara’s help? She didn’t deserve anything.

“Hey,” Katara’s voice ripped him out of his guilt-ridden thoughts. He hadn’t noticed her hand on his arm. Her gaze was gentle, but determined - solid. “She deserves a chance to redeem herself before we make our final judgements.”

A heavy weight settled in Zuko’s stomach, but he nodded. He nodded for himself, since he knew Katara didn’t need his permission. She would do it anyway. But he needed to be a part of this, too.

He looked down at his sister’s empty face again, his hair falling into his eyes and tickling his scar. The lead weight in his stomach began to boil. 

_ What would he and Azula have been without Ozai? _

Zuko cleared his throat. “Thank you, Katara.” he coughed, his voice thin. She smiled back at him warmly. Softly.

“Come on,” She gestured gently. “Let’s get Azula to a bed so we can get YOU to bed. You look exhausted.”

“You say that all the time.”

“Because it’s true!”

Zuko didn’t have the energy to argue. He could feel Katara’s relief at his willingness to oblige, heaving Azula up as he stood and heading toward the captain’s lodge, and she followed him inside, opening and closing the door behind him.

Zuko had barely laid Azula down on the bed before collapsing on the couch, groaning. His eyelids felt like weights, and he was straining to keep them open. Katara sat next to him on the floor, her head level with his. Her blue eyes swam in his vision. 

_ You look exhausted _ . Zuko mused, staring through cracks in his eyelids at Katara.  _ Well, I hope that doesn’t mean I look bad. I don’t want to look bad. I want to look good all the time, like you do. How do you do that? _

He faintly recognized that she smiled, leaning forward. His eyes opened a bit more as she ran her hand through his hair, pushing it behind his ear. “Go to sleep, Zuko.” She whispered soothingly, eyes crinkling. “I’m not going to leave. I’ll make sure you two are safe.”

Zuko wanted to grab her hand as it pulled away from his head, tell her she had already done enough, tell her how grateful he was for her, for everything she did, for everything she continued to do and for being the amazing woman she was. But his arms were too heavy, and soon, so were his eyes, and he lost the battle - his eyes fell shut, his last view being the blurry outline of a certain waterbender.  _ I don’t deserve you. _

_ o0o0o _

Zuko and Katara agreed that they should keep Azula in her restraints for the time being, seeing as they were on a wooden boat. The less ability Azula had to burn down the ship, the better. Still, it didn’t settle well with either of them.

Okami was apparently the only one of them that knew how to weave rope, so she was busy in the corner of the ship, muttering to herself. Kiyi sat on the deck, reading a book she had found below deck called  _ History of Dragons: Remembering Magnificence _ . 

“Hey, kid.”

Kiyi looked up, eyebrows raised. Toph slumped down next to her. The earthbender, as always, held a moldable mound of metal in her hand, and she yawned widely. Kiyi just stared at her silently.

Toph frowned. “I said hey.”

“I know.”

“Wow, okay.” Toph, like Kiyi, leaned against the side of the ship. “Rude.”

Kiyi looked back down at her book. Toph huffed, bending her metal into various useful and creative shapes (though not all of them were appropriate). The deck was quiet, and they simply sat there for a while before Toph’s blunt voice cut through the air.

“Can I ask you a question?”

Kiyi glanced back over at her, pausing for a moment. “I suppose.”

Toph smiled slightly to herself. “Why are you so quiet?”

Kiyi buried her face back into her book. “I’m just not a talkative person.” She mumbled.

Toph rolled her eyes. “I’ve listened to you talk.” She pointed at the Firebender a bit aggressively, and Kiyi raised her eyebrows. “You have stuff to say. You know what you think. I heard you asking Zuko questions last night, and you spoke pretty damn easily in front of everyone when we had all first met. So get outta here with that bullshit.”

Kiyi glanced up at Okami’s direction, but her mentor was around the corner, still weaving endless amounts of rope. She shoved her face back into her book intently, as if this would hide her from Toph’s determined questions.

Toph scowled. “Well?” She demanded.

“I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“I know you’re hiding something.” Toph folded her arms, huffing. “You may have eyes, kid, but I see more than you ever will. I know how nervous you are about this - your heart rate went up as soon as I asked the question. Whenever you get near one of us, your friend over there starts freaking out. Much less when you started speaking to Zuko last night - I thought her heart was going to pound out of her chest.”

Kiyi still didn’t respond. Toph grumbled, turning her attention back to her metal. “Fine. Do this your way - keep the secrets. But let me give you some advice.” Kiyi raised her eyebrows as Toph continued. “Secrets don’t keep for long around here. I can tell when you’re lying, so that’s off the table. I also happen to be a genius, which means I’m burdened with the task of protecting all of my friends from ill-intent.”

Kiyi had, of course, been listening to this, but she said nothing, keeping her head buried in her reading. Toph scowled, smacking the dusty book out of her hands. “Hey!” Kiyi protested, crawling over to grab it. “That was unnecessary!”

“Just tell me what you’re hiding, then!” Toph snapped.

Again, Kiyi looked over in Okami’s direction. “I can’t.” She whispered, flipping through the pages to find where she had been pretending to read.

Toph raised her eyebrows. “You can’t?” She mused, continuing to form the metal lazily in her hands. “That sounds like a convenient excuse.”

“I’m not allowed.”

“Says who?”

Kiyi shot a frustrated look in Toph’s direction. “Okami, obviously!”

Toph formed the metal into a thin rod and began spinning it in the air. “So?” She pressed, still relaxing easily against the side of the ship. “What, it’s not like she’s your mom or something.”

After no response, Toph continued, her voice growing agitated. “Listen - Kiwi, is it? Kiyi? Well, Kiyi, hear me say this: the truth will come out eventually. As much as I love threatening people, this is a rare situation where it is not a threat, it’s just a fact. I don’t know what Okami is holding over your head, but you’re obviously uncomfortable as hell on this ship with us..” Toph moved to get up, and Kiyi closed her eyes in relief. But Toph paused for a moment, seeming to make up her mind about something before turning around with a sigh. “You know, Kiyi,” She added, hardening the metal around her arm like a brace. Despite still being rough around the edges, Toph’s tone of voice had softened slightly. “You should be able to rely on all of us now. Not just Okami.”

Kiyi peered over the top of her book to study Toph’s face. “...she’s the one in charge of me.” The girl replied finally.

“Yeah, obviously.” Toph rolled her eyes. “But Okami is, what, nineteen?”

“Twenty.”

Toph folded her arms. “And how old are you?”

“I’m almost thirteen.”

“Okay.” Toph nodded. “So, don’t be afraid to make some friends. She’s too old to be your regular friend, but I’m not. I may be three or four years older than you, but I’m the one that’s closest to your age in this bunch.” She turned. “You shouldn’t only talk to one person. It’s the easiest way to be manipulated.”

Kiyi watched as Toph walked away, her heart pounding in her ears. She seemed to know so much, and Kiyi wondered how much more she already knew. 

Was she trying to tell Kiyi not to listen to Okami? Why would she say that?

It didn’t matter. Kiyi would trust Okami with her life, and she didn’t like her orders, but she knew Okami wouldn’t be so strict about staying quiet about it if it wasn’t so important.

Still, it was hard. If Toph really could tell when people were lying, Kiyi must seem awfully suspicious. All she wanted to do was talk about it, after all. It was the natural response. She wanted to ask so many questions, to get to know everyone, to explain everything. But Okami said no, and right now, Kiyi had no reason to doubt her.

No reason other than Toph’s words. And that didn’t mean anything, right?

Toph had disappeared into the captain’s quarters, the only room above deck. It was quite large, and Kiyi hadn’t seen it yet. Zuko and Katara had taken Azula in there a few hours ago and they hadn’t come out since. The Firebender quickly jumped back to reading her book, trying to look natural as the door reopened.

Katara walked out, yawning. She stretched slightly, noticing Kiyi and making her way towards her.  _ Oh no _ , Kiyi thought, dread seeping through her chest.  _ Not another one _ …

“Hey!” Katara said brightly, sitting next to Kiyi. “What are you reading?”

Kiyi, who had been bracing herself for a more personal question, stuttered for a moment. “I-I, uh, it’s about dragons.”

Katara’s eyes widened as she skimmed the title. “Ooh, it’s a nonfiction book about  _ real  _ dragons? That’s incredible!”

Kiyi shrugged. “It’s just something I found below deck.”

“Are there more books?” Katara asked, intrigued. “I haven’t been down there yet.”

Nodding, Kiyi lowered her book, relaxing despite herself. “Yeah, there were a few shelves completely full! Okami thinks this boat is a patrol boat, so there’s a bunch of random stuff here from over the years.”

“She’s probably right.” Katara smiled, leaning her head back. “So...how did you end up with your team?”

Kiyi immediately retreated back into her book. “Um, I just met them all about five years ago, and they’ve helped take care of me.”

“Who taught you firebending?”

“My dad.”

Katara looked over at her, eyes raised. “Your dad? Why aren’t you with him, or why isn’t he with us?”

Kiyi’s eyes lowered. “...He died about a year ago. He was killed.”

“I’m so sorry, Kiyi.” Katara’s face fell, eyes round. But it wasn’t with pity, it was empathy. Understanding.

Kiyi waited for the follow-up questions, asking who killed her father, why, was Kiyi doing okay, but there was nothing. Katara simply turned back to staring at the horizon. Kiyi risked a glance up at the young woman, confused. 

What were these people playing at?

_ o0o0o _

Jet paced anxiously across Suki’s bedroom, eyes flickering back and forth as his brain whirred with thought. “We have to go,” He hissed, turning back to Suki. “This is our only lead! If one of our informants actually SAW her on the coast of Rotaki -”

“We need to talk to everyone else, Jet.” Suki sighed, sitting on the edge of her bed and watching him walk back and forth. “We can’t just leave without an explanation. Besides, we’ll need backup.”

“We’ll take Sen!” Jet suggested, a bit frantic. “He’s good in a fight!”

Suki sighed, falling backwards onto the bed. “Jet, I know you want to leave right away, but we  _ have  _ to meet with everyone first. Mai, Aang, and Sokka will be back in a few hours and we can talk things over.”

Jet grumbled, but just as Suki was about to assure him once more, Nasoki came bursting into the room. Suki jumped to her feet. “Outside!” Nasoki panted, pointing down the hallway behind her. “...Appa!”

Suki’s eyes widened, and she exchanged a confused and concerned glance with Jet. “Are you sure?” She asked, moving for the door.

“It’s definitely Appa.” Nasoki nodded, gesturing for them to follow her. “But I think something’s wrong. Come on!”

_ o0o0o _

Zuko was shocked at how long he had been out. When he had fallen asleep, right after the boat had reached open sea, the sun had just set below the horizon. When his eyes lazily cracked open again, the captain’s cabin was no longer lit with torch sconces and candles, but rather with the gentle, cool light of morning. As he slowly blinked awake, Zuko looked up at the bed, where he could see the small mound under the blankets that was Azula. He was about to sit up when he realized his arm was underneath another sleeping friend. 

Katara’s arms were folded over his own, her head resting on top of them, fast asleep. Her hair was strewn across his shoulder and chest, like she had pushed it away from the back of her neck. Zuko froze in place, staring at her. He didn’t dare move, or he’d wake her, so he settled back into the couch carefully, making sure not to move his arm too much. The ends of her hair were tickling his arm and his neck a little bit, but he would be fine. It’s not like he had anything to do.

Well, they were all probably waiting for him to conceive a plan, since they were aimlessly drifting in the waves at the moment. But that could wait a bit longer. Katara needed her sleep.

“For fucks sake, Sparky, just get up already.”

Zuko sat up quickly, startled, heart thundering in his ears. Toph sat on the plush chair on the other side of the couch, arms crossed. “Toph!” He gasped before turning back to Katara, who had slipped off of her headrest (his arm) and fallen to the ground. “Katara! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean -”

“Huh?” Katara sat up woozily, her hair strewn everywhere. She rubbed her eyes, squinting, as if she wasn’t sure where she was. “Is it morning?”

“It’s BEEN morning.” Toph sniffed. “You two are lucky I let you keep sleeping. I thought it might be an easier day for me if the two of you weren’t sleep deprived, so you’re welcome.”

Katara and Zuko exchanged a bleary eyed, exasperated look before Zuko sat up completely on the couch, making room for the waterbender to sit next to him. “Did I actually sleep the whole night?” He asked, surprised.

Katara broke into a wide grin. “You must have!” She replied happily, her voice still a bit quiet and raw from sleep. “That’s good, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is, because Sir Sleeps-A-Lot here needs to figure out what in Agni’s name we’re supposed to do now that we’re on a BOAT in the middle of NOWHERE.” Toph snapped, standing up. “And I have to PUKE!”

Katara stared after Toph, taken aback, as she walked out of the captain’s cabin and slapped the door behind her. She looked back at Zuko. “What did we do?”

“Nothing.” Zuko sighed, stretching. “She just hates boats. They make her feel sick. She gets really grumpy.”

Katara glanced back at the door for a moment before accepting this response. “Right…” Her eyes lit up suddenly and she immediately stood, walking over to Azula’s bedside. “Agni, Zuko, she’s sleeping.”

Zuko’s head snapped up to look at her. “What?” He asked sharply.

“She’s sleeping.” Katara repeated, leaning gently against the edge of the bed, still staring. “If I didn’t know any better, I would just think she was a peaceful citizen taking a nap. It’s so strange -”

Katara was cut off by Zuko’s haste, which she accommodated for without question, moving out of the way for her friend. He leaned down, face-level with his little sister, wide eyed as can be. “She…” Zuko trailed off. “She IS asleep.”

Katara’s eyebrows furrowed. “Of course she is, Zuko, I literally just said -”

“I haven’t seen her sleep in years.” 

Katara thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head as she gaped at Zuko. “How is that even possible? I mean, even if you aren’t around her all the time, you would have had to see her sleeping at least once!”

But the Fire Lord still shook his head, pulling away from the bed and reluctantly turning back to Katara. “Unless I’ve conveniently missed every time she sleeps, yes, I would say she hasn’t slept at all in at least two years. I would guess even longer than that.”

Katara glanced back at Azula, eyes wide. “There’s no way she would still be  _ alive _ if that were true, Zuko. Humans require sleep to live.”

“You know people can sleep with their eyes open, right?”

They turned to Toph, who was still perched in the cushy chair. “Toph,” Zuko snapped, “You don’t  _ seriously _ think Azula was sleeping all this time with her eyes open? The odds of that are -”

“No, but Toph has a point.” Katara interrupted, biting her lip. Zuko stopped midsentence, waiting for her to continue, but it took a few moments for Katara to gather her thoughts. “Those guys were able to put us to sleep with that sedative. You saw how many brews were in your Mom’s shop.”

Zuko’s eyes narrowed. “What exactly are you suggesting?”

Katara winced. “Did...did you ever eat any of Azula’s food?”

“What?” Zuko pulled back slightly. “Did I...eat her food? Of course not, it was for her! She only had two meals a day, I wasn’t going to -”

“Okay, okay.” Katara cut him off, closing her eyes. “Zuko, what if someone was drugging her food?”

Zuko stared at her for a moment, processing what she had just said before his eyes widened. His face went white. “Drugging...her...by the spirits, I never even thought…” He turned to look at his sister, grief and panic stricken. “How could I let this happen?”

Katara reached out, and he turned back toward her, terrified. “Zuko, we don’t know for sure. It’s just a theory.” She reassured him, squeezing his shoulder. “The good news is, if people in the palace had any influence over her state, they won’t anymore. We’ll be able to see within the next few days whether or not there are any obvious changes.”

Zuko held Katara’s gaze for a few moments before turning back to Azula. Toph spoke up again. “Why don’t you just ask Okami?” She suggested, standing up and stretching. “You said that Jet was familiar with the potions, and he didn’t even live with her for the last year. Okami, maybe even Kiyi, they might know of a brew that would have those effects.”

Zuko whirled around, standing up and almost knocking Katara over. “OOMPH - I’m sorry, Katara, did I step on your foot?” He didn’t wait for her response, and instead began racing toward the door. “Toph, can you stay with Azula?”

Katara rushed after Zuko, and she smiled apologetically at Toph before leaving, the door closing behind her. Toph snorted. “You didn’t even wait for a response.” She said to the empty room, save for Azula’s sleeping form. “Classic.”

Okami looked up wearily as her name was called. As the only responsible adult on this ship, she had been awake for a few hours already, and she sat atop a stack of crates on deck. Kiyi sat on a crate lower than her, reading that old, smelly book about dragons, and they exchanged a glance before returning to the Fire Lord. “Fire Lord Zuko,” She said tonelessly, moving to stand. Katara came up behind him, grabbing his arm and looking up into his face in concern. Okami could see why, considering the mortified look on Zuko’s face. “Is there a problem?”

“I have a question for you,” Zuko stumbled slightly as he reached her. “About, about the potions, the brews, in the shop -”

Okami exchanged another glance with Kiyi, who shrugged, turning back to her book. “Um, okay?”

Zuko opened his mouth, but his words seemed to get stuck in his throat, and Katara stepped in. “Are there any brews that...I’m not sure how to describe this...put people in a sleep-like state? Perhaps with their eyes open?”

Okami raised her eyebrows. “You mean, like the nobatik brew?”

“What does that do?” Zuko asked immediately, his eyes a bit frantic.

“Well,” Okami sat back down on the crates. “It’s most well known as the paralysis brew. It puts people in a state of stasis, so it’s not exactly sleep, but they aren’t awake. They can’t control their muscles, and a side effect is that their eyes stay open. I forget why, though.”

Kiyi spoke up, not taking her eyes off of the dragon book. “The muscles in the face get frozen in the position they were in when the effects took place. The hands and toes are stiff, too. I think it’s because of the compact nature of the anatomy, and the cartilage, and how close together all the nerves and vessels and tendons and bones are. The paralyzing agent just seems to affect those areas more.” 

Zuko’s eyes widened even further. “How long did the effects usually last?”

Okami thought for a moment. “It depends on the dosage, but I’d say a good sixteen hours on average.”

“Katara,” Zuko turned, grabbing the waterbender’s hands. “If they were putting it in her meals somehow, then they could have been doing this for the last year, maybe more, and I wouldn’t have known. What if -”

“Wait, who?” Okami stood, suddenly alert. “Your sister?”

Katara nodded, pulling her hands away from Zuko gently. “It’s starting to look that way.” She looked back at the cabin’s captain. “We’ll have to see, as she recovers, how her mental state really is.”

Zuko stared back at the cabin, as well, at a loss. Okami almost felt bad about interrupting such a serious realization, but there were some important topics to discuss. “Lord Zuko?”

“Zuko, please,” He replied tiredly. “Just Zuko.”

“Right.” Okami replied, internally relieved. Getting along with this group was of the utmost importance, but using formal titles with Zuko had been nauseating. “Well, where should I steer the boat toward?”

Zuko closed his eyes, gathering himself. “...where’s the closest country that’s not the Fire Nation?”

Okami frowned, grabbing her bag from atop the crate behind her and digging through it until she found the map. She unfolded and studied it for a moment before nodding. “Technically we’re the closest to the Earth Kingdoms, but we’d have to travel through Fire Nation to get there, and I’m assuming we don’t want to do that.”

“Definitely not.” Katara agreed.

“So…” Okami traced her finger along the rough paper. “Wow, I’m surprised. It looks like the next closest country is the Northern Water Tribe.”

Katara and Zuko looked at each other, and she nodded at him. “Okay,” Zuko affirmed, still looking at Katara. “Northern Water Tribe it is. Do you have an estimate of how long it’ll take?”

Okami pressed her lips together into a thin line. “Hmmm…I’d say about three days at a decent pace. Definitely faster if your girlfriend helps with some waterbending.”

Katara and Zuko blushed heavily, looking at each other for a moment and stepping apart slightly. “We’re not -” He began, laughing awkwardly.

Katara spoke over him. “Oh, I’m not his…”

“A thing…”

“Girlfriend…”

Okami raised her eyebrows, and Katara cleared her throat, blush still settled across her cheeks. “Ehem. But, uh, yes, I can definitely help make the trip faster.”

“Wonderful.” Okami smiled sweetly, catching Kiyi’s rolling eyes out of the corner of her vision. “I’ll make sure to keep you two updated on any changes to that timetable.”

Zuko reached out toward her, and the smile vanished from Okami’s face. She resisted the urge to snarl and knock his hand away as he rested it on her shoulder, but her tension released slightly at his relieved smile. “Thank you so much, Okami.” She was shocked at how genuine his voice sounded. “You have no idea how much I’m grateful you’re on this mission with us.”

Okami blinked, managing to nod as he pulled his hand away and walked back toward the cabin. Katara smiled, bowing her head in a silent thanks before making her way after him.

Kiyi sighed. “That was...a lot.”

Okami hoisted herself off of the crates, making her way over to the edge of the boat and leaning on the ledge. “Yeah it was.” She grimaced, looking out into the early morning view of the waves. “But I have a feeling it’s only a fraction of what we’re in for.”

_ o0o0o _

“Aang,” Nasoki frowned as the avatar closed the door behind them. “What’s going on?”

He turned to them, guilt written across his face. “Now that Ty Lee is with us, I have to tell you. I can’t keep it from you anymore.”

Ty Lee and Nasoki exchanged a glance, shrugging, as Aang rushed toward his bedside table. He pulled out the bottom drawer and grabbed a piece of paper, hands shaking slightly, and he turned back to the two sisters. “Um,” He mumbled, avoiding their eyes. “You might want to sit down for this.”

Ty Lee immediately sat on the floor, and though Nasoki looked like she wanted to ask more questions, she also obliged. Aang completed the triangle by sitting in front of them, and with a shaky breath, handed Nasoki the paper.

Her eyebrows immediately furrowed. After scanning the first few lines, her eyes widened, and Aang watched as her intense gaze shifted back up to the top of the page to reread it, as if she had to double check. After she had reached the bottom she simply sat there, staring unfocused at the page. 

“Nasoki…” Ty Lee nudged her younger sister, smiling despite the concern in her eyes. “What does it say?”

Silently handing the paper to Ty Lee, Nasoki’s gaze remained blank, and her face was slowly draining of color. Ty Lee scanned the letter, and she too reread it several times, blinking in shock. “Where...where did you find this?”

Aang rested his hands in his lap, staring down at them miserably. “Nasoki and I have been looking through the files kept here in the Bhang Chi Manor,” He explained, voice hollow. “Since Rotaki is the mercenary capital of the world, it looks like all of the Fire Nation’s orders of execution were run through the Rotaki Governor, who would hire a third party.”

“But…” Ty Lee’s voice trailed off, uncharacteristically small. “Why would they...why would the Fire Nation have an execution order for our Mother?”

Aang exchanged a heavy glance with Nasoki, who clenched her jaw. “Aang has learned a lot about the Air Nomads since we’ve left the Fire Nation.” She began, her voice quivering slightly. “Things about traveling Nomads who weren’t killed in the initial raids, and new information on how Airbending is gifted to children besides just genetics. You see this, here?” She reached over and pointed at a symbol on the paper. “That’s the Air symbol. Aang and I have gone through hundreds of these files, and it’s pretty clear that the Air symbol is reserved for descendents of Air Nomads.”

“But…” Ty Lee glanced back down at the paper that she clutched limply in her hand. “Why? If Aang is the last Airbender, why do they care?”

“Because Airbending is about more than just genetics.” Aang explained halfheartedly. “I can explain the details another time, but basically, anyone of Air Nomad descent can have an Airbending child.”

Ty Lee met Aang’s gaze, eyes bright, her face caught between being stricken and struck with awe. “Does that mean...does that mean my sisters and I could have Airbenders as children?” She whispered, as if saying it outloud would take it all away.

Aang nodded. “It’s…” he hesitated, flooded with emotion. “It’s a lot to explain, and it’s not that simple, but I’ll definitely tell you soon.”

Ty Lee gently set the paper down on the floor in front of her, straightening back up. “Our...our mother was killed by order of the Fire Lord?”

Aang grimaced. “Yes.”

“Because she was…” Ty Lee kept staring at the paper, her voice empty. “She was descended from… Air Nomads?”

Aang nodded at the women. “I…” He hesitated, glancing at Nasoki. “I’m so sorry I hid this from you, I should have told you right away, I was so afraid of hurting you but I shouldn’t have waited, I’m so -”

Nasoki stood up and Aang trailed off, looking up at the warrior. She held her hand out for him, and he blinked in surprise for a moment before he took it, and she hoisted him to his feet. “I’m glad that you told me.” She assured him. “This was as good of a time as any, to find out with my sister. Ty Lee,” She turned to the acrobat, who was still sitting numb with shock. “Come on. We have a lot of work to do.” She pulled her sister up onto her feat. scowling. “We can’t bring Mother back, but there may still be other Air Nomads to find. And we owe them this.”

_ o0o0o _

Azula opened her eyes.


	13. Extraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suki, Jet, and Sen prepare for an extraction mission. Zuko, Katara, Toph, Kiyi, and Okami are faced with even more surprises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> I know I say this every time, but I SWEAR I'll try to get things out faster. My chapters are 7k-10k words, so they're much longer than typical chapters...please tell me if you would rather have smaller chapters that were released more regularly, and I can switch to doing that! 
> 
> I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far! Things are going to start heating up soon, and I'm excited to keep writing!
> 
> Mwuah, I love you all, PLEASE comment your thoughts! I love hearing from y'all!

Jet usually liked to be in charge of meetings, especially regarding missions. It usually annoyed his friends to death. But today he was feeling too sick to participate with his usual vigor.

“Who is this informant?” Sokka asked, folding his arms with an air of suspicion. “How do we know this isn’t a trap?”

Sen frowned. “Because it’s my brother!” He replied, hurt. 

Jet nodded. “Jinuk is more than trustworthy - he used to be a part of this team, but he got gravely injured protecting Utama, so he stays put on the coast as an informant.”

“And what did he say, exactly?” Monuk folded his arms, eyebrows furrowed. “He saw Utana?”

“Yes.” Jet dug in his pocket to retrieve the letter. “He sent the message in codes, of course, but it’s the standard. _A few days ago I learned that panther-eagles have good eyes. Who would have thought? Even when panther-eagles have clipped wings, they can still see farther than us. Perhaps that is why we are afraid of them.”_

He looked up from the creased paper, met with a room of silence. “Um,” Aang glanced around. “Am I supposed to understand that?”

“He’s basically saying that a few days ago, he spotted Utana, and he was surprised about it so he followed a little bit and realized it was hostile.” Monuk translated dully. “The panther-eagle refers to Utana, so he also says that she’s captured, but she still knows a lot and is in a position of relative safety. Most likely this means she isn’t in immediate fatal danger. The last sentence clarifies that Utana knows something that scares her captors.”

“So, what do we propose we do?” Sokka asked Jet, wrapping his arm around Suki’s shoulders. 

Jet’s face hardened. “We need to send a small team out there immediately. No more than five people, I’d say. Try to get her back, or at least gather enough information to formulate a bigger rescue mission.”

The room was silent, and Suki spoke up. “Any objections?”

“This could still be a trap.” Sokka pointed out, concern deepening. “It seems pretty risky to me. I say we wait for more information.”

“What are we risking?” Jet snapped. 

Sokka raised his eyebrows. “Are you kidding?” He shot back. “Someone could get KILLED if we walk into an ambush!”

“You need to be inconspicuous.” Mai said from the corner of the room. Everyone’s heads swivelled in her direction. “There aren’t a lot of benders in Rotaki, so Aang definitely shouldn’t go. I think Monuk should stay, as well.”

Monuk opened his mouth as if to argue, but closed it, anger flashing in his eyes as the majority of the group nodded. “Who will go, then?” he said hotly.

“I will.” Suki decided firmly, folding her arms. “Jet and I will go. And Sen, you said this informant was your brother? You can come, too. That’s three non-benders. Inconspicuous enough.” She nodded to herself, as if in agreement with her own ideas. “Sen, you and I look similar enough that we could pass as siblings. We’ll have a good alibi - we’ll say that we’re visiting your brother. Our brother.”

Jet frowned. “What about me?”

Suki shrugged. “We’ll just say you’re my boyfriend.”

“Hey!” Sokka protested. “Why can’t I go?”

Mai raised her eyebrows. “I need you here.” She replied, as if it were obvious. Suki nodded in agreement. “You’re one of the best tacticians here. I need your help running point on all of these operations.”

Suki grabbed his arm, hugging it affectionately. “Come on,” She teased, “You aren’t THAT insecure about our relationship, are you?”

Sokka thought for a moment. “Good point. Just...no kissing!” 

Suki looked horrified, which made Sokka nod in approval. Monuk scowled, stepping forward slightly. “Well, if this is so important, you should get going!” He snapped. “Sen knows the way. Go get your stuff. Leave.”

Everyone turned to him, shocked, but the first to break out of it was Jet, who nodded. “Manuk is right,” He agreed grudgingly, “We need to leave as soon as possible. They might not be staying in that location for long, and if we want to catch them, we need to go now.”

Suki nodded, her jaw set.

Jet knew that Suki was automatically acting as the leader of this mission, and he would typically fight for that spot. But he still felt too sick.

“Be ready in one hour.” Suki looked pointedly to Jet and Sen. “I want to get this extraction done and be back before tomorrow morning.”

_o0o0o_

Katara’s arms were sore. It was an unfortunate necessity that they get to the North Pole quickly, since the ship had a very low supply of edible food, and they hadn’t brought proper supplies for a boat journey. Katara, naturally, had become their “personal boat motor,” as Toph said, propelling the ship forward. The waterbending wasn’t intricate, but it was intensive. It was rare that Katara moved so much water across so much space, in so many different and specific directions, for such a long time. She had gotten dreadfully bored, though, and once she started feeling an ache in her shoulders, she knew a distraction would be her saving grace. 

Katara was tough - she could bear aches and pains. But it put her mind in a bad place, and Katara didn’t need any more reason to think about bad things. It was a huge relief when, after excessive pleading, Kiyi gave in and read her dragon book out loud. The waterbender was pleasantly surprised with the book. She had assumed it would be a bit boring - almost like a textbook. But the thick text was detailed and captivating, describing the species in acute detail. Katara nearly forgot the pain in her arms after an hour or so.

“Dragons are one of the only known animals to inhabit the land, sky, and sea.” Kiyi read, leaning on a nearby crate. There were an awful lot of crates laying around. “As the masters of fire, they were connected to all other elements and did not exist by themselves. Though most adult dragons were quite powerful in their firebending capabilities, they typically remained...remained…” Kiyi frowned at the page, eyes narrowed. “In-con-spish-us? In-con-spec-shus?”

“Here, let me see,” Katara grunted, still moving her hands in the consistent pushing and weaving motions. Kiyi brought the book over to Katara, holding it up and pointing to the word so she could see. “Ah. It’s _Inconspicuous._ ”

“In-con-spic-yoo-us,” Kiyi repeated slowly. 

Katara beamed at the girl. “Exactly!”

Kiyi suppressed a smile of her own as she scurried back to sit, continuing to read. Before she could finish her sentence, however, Toph threw the door open from the captains cabin. “Where’s Zuko?” She demanded, swaying slightly as the boat rocked.

Katara tried to keep her motions steady as she glanced around her shoulder to the other end of the deck. “I think he’s trying to send a message back to Bhang Chi with Okami’s messenger hawk.”

“I’m right here.” Zuko rounded the corner, frowning at Toph. “What’s going on?”

“You have to come right now, both of you!” Toph turned, already reaching back for the door. “It’s Azula!”

Katara’s arms dropped in shock, and the sudden resistance of water caused the boat to pitch, throwing them all forward. Toph slammed into the door, grunting, and they could hear Okami’s muffled yelp from below deck. Steadying herself, Katara stumbled toward the door, grabbing Toph by the shoulders. “Agni, I am so sorry, are you okay?”

“You think being hit by a door is going to hurt me?” Toph snapped, pushing her away. “Come on!”

Katara glanced up at Zuko, panic flashing in his eyes, and Toph finally managed to open the door and they ran inside. It latched behind them rather quickly.

The boat continued to rock, and Toph stumbled over to the nearest chair. Katara and Zuko had both frozen in place. Zuko took a few shallow breaths, his face turning white, and he reached over to grab Katara’s hand. He needed reassurance, and she was his safe place. 

Katara squeezed his hand back reassuringly. Neither of them took their eyes off Azula.

And Azula stared back.

“...Katara…” Zuko breathed, his voice shaking as much as his hands.

“I know.” She whispered back. She stared into Azula’s eyes, which bore into her own.

Zuko stepped forward slightly, still not letting go of Katara’s hand, so she stepped forward too. Azula didn’t seem to react to this, so he took another step. Nothing.

But it was not nothing. After over a year of thinking his sister would never come back, that she was just a body without a soul, Zuko faced Azula sitting up on her own accord, eyes focused, back straight. He took a third step, but stopped immediately when Azula opened her mouth.

“Brown.”

Zuko felt his body flood with a mixture of emotion - fear, joy, anger, confusion, so much that he didn’t understand. Thank Agni Katara was with him.

“What is brown?’ Katara asked gently, sitting on the foot of the bed. Every fiber of Zuko’s being screamed at him to _get her away, it’s too dangerous_ \- but he was too shocked to do anything. Perhaps that was for the best, since Katara wouldn’t have taken kindly to such a reaction.

Azula looked at the floor, then to the side, then up to the ceiling, and continued to let her eyes roam around the room. “Brown.” She repeated.

Katara glanced back at Zuko. “Do you have any idea what she’s referring to?” She hissed at him, and Zuko shook his head in bewilderment. 

“Brown.” Auzla repeated insistently. “Not grey.”

Zuko’s eyes widened. “Everything’s made of wood in here…” He realized out loud. “She’s been in that metal room for four years - she hasn’t seen anything but that grey and silver this whole time!”

Katara seemed to sigh with relief. “Azula,” She said softly. “Do you know who we are?”

Zuko’s breath caught in his throat, and he waited.

Azula jerked her arms, as if she was trying to pull her hands out of the straightjacket. She shook her head furiously. “Head!” She cried, frantically trying to pull her arms out of their constraints. She rubbed her shoulder against her head roughly, as if there was an itch she was trying to scratch. “Head!” She shouted again.

Zuko’s panic was already mounting, but when he saw the flames, he completely froze.

He hadn’t seen blue flame in over four years. 

The flames were out before they really began. Katara, who had immediately thrown some water onto it, pulled the moisture out of the blankets shakily. Her eyes were wide and she looked back at Zuko as if she had seen a ghost, her hands shaking

_“Restrain her limbs and take her inside! Be careful of her face, she can blow fire out of her - AH!” Zuko’s knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground. His grunt of pain was cut off as his breath was ripped away, his chest exploding in pain. The guards next to him glanced at each other before kneeling down._

_“Prince - I mean, Fire Lord Zuko,” One of them corrected stiffly, “The medic is on the other side of the palace. If you would let us take you -”_

_Zuko waved his hand at them, sitting up despite the raging pain. “Not…” He heaved in pain. “...not until Azula is safe!”_

_The guards exchanged another look “...My Lord,” The woman tried, grabbing his arm and helping him to his feet. “Azula has lost her mind. We’re taking her down to the cellars -”_

_“No!” Zuko shouted. His voice echoed in the hallway, and the people struggling to control Azula on the other end paused to look at him. “You will take her to the training rooms! Lock her in if you have to!”_

_One of the guards restraining Azula let his jaw drop. “You can’t be serious!” He shouted back. Zuko’s head was pounding, and he could feel that something was definitely very wrong with his wound. He pulled his hand away and clenched his jaw at the sight of blood. The fall must have broken his skin open again, and his internal injuries were extensive. He needed to get to a doctor._

_“I am very serious!” He shouted back at the man, trying to keep his voice from shaking with pain and fear. “That is an ORDER!”_

_The man stared at Zuko for a moment before nodding reluctantly. With the help of a few other guards they were able to keep Azula, who was still struggling with all her might, subdued._

_Zuko groaned, his vision spinning. “Where…” He began, but his breath was fading, his voice was cracking, he just felt PAIN. “Where is Katara?”_

_One of the guards looked surprised. “The waterbender girl? She isn’t allowed in the building, my Lord.”_

_“Why not?”_

_She looked at the other guard, who stood up straighter, clearly nervous. “Um,” He stammered, “Fire Nation Palace security protocol states that no foreign citizens are allowed on the premises during a time of present battle.” The man closed his eyes, trying to think. “The Palace is only reserved for nobles, staff, and royalty, and there must be a full sweep of the grounds before any -”_

_“I need…” Zuko grabbed onto the man’s shoulder as he fell, knocking the poor man off-balance. Zuko hit the ground once more, and this time, his scream of pain was not caught in his throat. The guards looked at one another, terrified._

_Zuko managed to take a shaky, desperate gasp. “Doctor!” He rasped. Sweat trickled from his pale, clammy face down into his eyes. “Need…her...”_

_Before the guards could make a decision on what in Agni’s name they were supposed to do next, a large BANG rattled the door across the hall. They stood silently for a moment, watching with wide eyes. The woman opened her mouth as if to call out to the guards stationed on the outside, on the arena, on the other side of the massive double doors - but before she could even take a breath, the doors were blasted open. One of the doors ripped off its hinges completely, crashing into the next room with a splintering crash. The guards shakily held up their hands, flames sparking._

_A wave of water crashed into the room. The guards cried out, lashing out with their fire wildly, but it had little effect on the ocean swirling before them. Zuko’s eyes widened. “Stop! He wheezed, grabbing the woman’s foot. “Stop! I - I order...you!”_

_She looked down at him before looking up at her fellow guard. The wall of water was just enough intimidation to convince them to stand down. A girl in torn blue robes raced toward them, bending the water off of the floor so that she didn’t slip. The two guards began to back away, bracing for impact, but the girl skidded on her knees across the floor until she was next to him. She felt his head with the back of her hand before cursing, shuffling his robes away from his chest. She spared a raging glance up at the guards. “I TOLD you!” She snapped, fury punching through every word. “I TOLD you not to make him move so quickly! Now look what you’ve done!”_

_The woman’s jaw dropped. “Excuse me?” She retaliated, fists clenching. Katara pulled out her flask, bending some water out. “YOU shouldn’t even BE in here, it’s against ALL procedure! Our priority is to get the Fire Lord to safety, and -”_

_“Oh, shut up!” Katara screamed in frustration. The woman stopped. “You think you can speak to me about PROCEDURE?” She continued, resisting the urge to clench her hands into fists. But she continued to move the glowing water around his chest, which was bleeding again. “He may be your Fire Lord, but he’s MY friend, and there’s no point in getting him to safety if he’s DEAD!”_

_The guards stood, at a loss of how to respond. Katara kept working, tears of fear and fury streaming down her face. Azula’s screams hadn’t faded._

_Zuko groaned. “...Katara?” He reached up toward her, wincing. Katara pushed his arm back down._

_“You’re going to be okay.” She said fervently, almost like she was demanding it. “I’ve got you. The internal damage is going to take some time to heal, but I should be able to re-seal the wound. And as long as you don’t move too quickly -” Katara glared pointedly up at the guards, “-or exert yourself, you should be okay. Just give me a few moments.”_

_“But…” Zuko croaked, pointing upward. “Fire…”_

_Katara frowned, turning to where he was pointing, and her eyes widened. The guards turned, gasping. The walls and ceiling of the palace had caught on fire. It must have spread from the blasts Azula’s lightning had put in the arena, and it was spreading quickly. Azula’s screams were getting softer, but every once and a while the hallway was still lit with blue flame._

_“Hey,” one of the guards said hesitantly, glancing down at Katara. “Um, I know you really don’t want to move him, but we really can’t stay here -”_

_A burning beam crashed across the room, sending up a wave of sparks and fire. Katara looked down, panicked. “I…” She was growing dangerously pale. “Every time we move him too quickly it makes things worse - I don’t have the tools to help with internal bleeding, I don’t know if he’d survive if we moved him.”_

_“We’ll, he’ll definitely die if we stay here!” The woman snapped._

_Katara scowled. “Well, you’re both Firebenders!” She suggested desperately, her glowing hands still moving around Zuko’s chest. “Can’t you just keep us safe?”_

_“We can’t get RID of the fire that isn’t ours!” the other guard cried, growing frantic as the crackling fire grew closer. “Once there’s an external source, it’ll keep feeding off of those sources, it no longer needs us. You have to put it out manually!”_ _  
__“You can’t divert it?” Katara wracked her scattered brain. “Sozin’s comet should make your bending stronger, so you could -”_

_“Do you SEE how much fire that is?”_

_Katara cursed under her breath, looking down at Zuko’s face. He was floating in and out of consciousness, scarily pale. “No, no, no!” She screamed, her voice raw, continuing to heal his chest. “I need to heal him FASTER but I CAN’T, I can’t let him die…”_

_A cry escaped Katara just as another wooden beam fell from the ceiling. The two guards cried out, jumping back as it plummeted toward the ground. The end of it fell straight toward Katara and Zuko, and she threw herself over him, sobbing inaudible apologies._

_“NO!”_ _  
__Before any of them could react, the beam was suddenly shoved away from them, flying across the room. It hit the floor and cracked into burning, sparking pieces, and they all looked up, blinking through the sparks and soot. The smoke was swirling from behind them, a faint glow coming from within. Katara let out a sob of relief as Aang burst through the fire, his eyes and tattoos glowing. The guards gaped as the air swirled around him, and Aang let out a deep sigh before beginning to suck in air. The ash and soot flowed into his lungs but he continued, pulling the air from the room, snuffing out the fires._

_“Is that…” The guard trailed off, stunned. “Is that the Avatar?”_

_The woman was also gaping. “He’s pulling the oxygen out of the air…which is putting out the fires…”_

_The dust began to clear, and the fires that had been raging were nothing but smolders. Tears streamed down Katara’s face, and she turned back to Zuko, her glowing hands still resting on his wound. Once the fires were out, Aang pulled the air back out of his lungs. Clouds of ash flowed out of his mouth, and he coughed, continuing to hack out soot. He stumbled slightly to the ground. He came out of the Avatar state into an immediate slump._

_“Katara!”_

_She looked up, crying. “Sokka?” She gasped as he stepped out off the rubble that used to be the wall. He carried Toph on his back, and Suki ran up behind him, her eyes wide._

_Aang coughed a few more times before glancing up, his eyes watering. He stumbled over and they all gathered around Katara and Zuko. “Is he…” Aang croaked, his wide eyes fixated on Zuko. “Is he…”_

_“He’s going to be fine.” Katara interrupted fiercely. “He’ll be FINE, okay?”_

_Zuko smiled faintly, managing to nod up at Katara, and her shoulders seemed to relax ever so slightly. “You’ll be okay,” She whispered to him. While she was still healing his chest, Katara used her other hand to grasp his. “I promise.”_

_They all fell silent, watching Katara continue to heal Zuko, and Azula’s screams still echoed from the hallway, growing softer and softer before disappearing for good._

_o0o0o_

Jet walked casually along the buildings, looking for the one Jinuk had told them. _"They took her into the old shopping center_ _,"_ He had said before they left. _"You should go search that building immediatley, before something happens to her, or they leave. It's only a few buildings away from the docks."_

"That's it." Sen pointed forward toward a large, single-story building. "I remember it from the last time I visited - they moved all the stores into the marketing mall and were going to turn these into apartments, but when the rebels started burning crops across the district, the town could no longer afford the project."

Jet grimaced. The more he heard about the actions of the rebels, the more he realized he had never really known them, at all. He was a part of them only because he had been useful. 

"Alright," Suki approached the door, grabbing the handle and turning softly. "Follow my lead. We don't have any room for mistakes."

_o0o0o_

“Master Katara.” The woman bowed respectfully. “It’s good to see that you are well after all these years.”

“Thank you.” Katara smiled wearily, readjusting the sack thrown across her shoulder. “Really, we didn’t need such a warm welcome.”

“Oh, it’s absolutely necessary.” Chief Arnook smiled down at her, his eyes sad. “We got word of the coop in the Fire Nation, and we’re absolutely appalled. We’re more than happy to provide you and Fire Lord Zuko with political asylum.”

“Yes, well…” Katara trailed off, glancing over toward Zuko, who was carrying Azula off of the boat. “Is there any place we can stay that wouldn’t be easily destroyed by flames?”

Arnook frowned for a moment before following Katara’s gaze to Azula, and his eyes softened. “Ah, yes. Of course. We’ll set you up in one of our old siege shelters - it’s highly unlikely we’ll need them, and they’re built to be resistant to fire inside and out as a precaution.”  
Katara felt a weight being lifted off her shoulders. “Thank you so much, Chief Arnook.” She took his hand and shook it. “We can’t thank you enough.”

“There’s no need.” He shook his head. “Really. Now, I’ll have some people help get you settled, and we’ll leave you be. I’m sure this has been an overwhelming experience for all of you.”

Katara looked back at Azula, who was staring back at her, and felt a chill go up her spine. “Yes,” She answered tonelessly. “It has.”

Kiyi marched up to Okami, fists clenched. “What are we supposed to do now?” She hissed angrily, throwing her hands up. “We’re stuck here! We need to be LOOKING for her!”

“I agree with you, Kiyi.” Okami replied gently, turning away from the beds she was making. “But we need to lie low for a little while.”

Kiyi’s eyes widened with disbelief. “Lie low?” She repeated, dumbfounded. “Okami, every second we _lie low_ is another second she could be closer to being KILLED. We don’t have _time_ to -”

“Kiyi,” Okami interrupted, her tone slightly sharper. “We’re doing the best we can. I need you to-”

“No!” Kiyi interrupted feverishly. Okami stopped, taken aback. “I need YOU to understand that this is serious! I need to find her! I can’t lose her too!”

Okami closed her eyes, sighing. “Kiyi, you know that I want to find her just as much as you do.”

Kiyi’s face practically twisted with rage. “No you don’t!” She cried, slamming her fist into the wall. 

“Kiyi, please,” Okami glanced at the door, which was open, out into the hallway. “That’s enough.”

“You don’t get to tell me what’s enough!” Kiyi’s fury radiated off of her, and Okami could feel the heat. “She’s MY mom, not yours! And you won’t even talk to me about a plan! You just want to sit around and wait! Well, I won’t! I won’t sit around and wait while she’s in danger!”

Okami put her head in her hands. “I know this is hard for you, and I’m sorry, I’m not trying to push you away. We’re going to find Utana, and we’re going to find her as fast as we can. But if we rush into things, we risk putting her in even more danger by scaring her captors. We need to be careful, and after the coop, we need to lie low with Zuko for a while. With Katara’s help, we’re not that far from the Fire Nation, and we can easily make it back when we have more information or when we formulate a plan.”

Kiyi glared at Okami, who glanced up at her for a moment before letting her head droop down to her chest, sighing, “You’re right, Kiyi. I don’t know how this feels for you. But I promise, I’m not stopping until we figure this out.”

“Do you know who would understand?” Kiyi folded her arms, eyebrows still furrowed in her anger. “Zuko. He would understand. But you don’t let me tell him, you don’t let me talk to him - to anyone! Why can’t I? I finally found more of my family, ,my REAL family, not just you guys, and I want to get to know them but you won’t let me!”

Okami scowled. “I’m trying to protect you!”

Kiyi’s eyes widened. “From what!” She exclaimed, gesturing around her. “Do you think I can’t protect myself?”

“I-”

“You see how he treats Azula, and she tried to kill him, and his friends! He cares about his family, he cares about his friends, and you’re worried about PROTECTING me?” Kiyi clenched her fists so hard that her fingernails dug into her palms. “Toph was right,” She snarled, “I’m old enough to make my own decisions, and you’re NOT my boss.”

“Kiyi, wait -”

The firebender turned around to march out of the room, but she couldn’t take more than a few steps before running into a taller figure whose eyes were wide and hesitant, scared, but determined. Okami stood up quickly upon seeing him, her breathing increasing rapidly. 

“Zuko,” Okami said immediately, resisting the urge to grab Kiyi and shield her. “How long have you been-”

The Fire Lord cut her off as he raised a finger, pointing at Kiyi. “Ursa...Utana…” He said slowly, closing his eyes as if it would help make more sense. “She’s...you…”

“This is all a misunderstanding!” Okami interrupted quickly, pulling Kiyi back to her side. “We’re sorry for bothering you! I hope you’re moving in well!”

Zuko didn’t seem to hear her, his eyes fixated on Kiyi, who looked back at him guilty. “You…” he repeated, trailing off. “She’s your...mother?”

Before Okami could dispute this point any further, Kiyi nodded, much to her dismay. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” She took a step forward, eyes wide. “I really wanted to, I’ve wanted to talk to you this whole time, I wanted to ask you about Azula and about your lives, and about what you knew about Mom when you were a child, and what you knew about her past, and get to know you, and I wanted to tell you all about me and everything I know, but Okami wouldn’t let me! She-”

“That’s ENOUGH!” Okami hissed, pulling Kiyi back.

Zuko’s blank stare suddenly morphed into a snarl, eyes fixing dangerously on Okami. “Let go of her,” he ordered quietly. “Now.”

Okami glared at him for a few moments before relenting, and Kiyi stepped away from her, looking up at Zuko with wide eyes. “I’m so sorry!” She pleaded, tears in her eyes. “Please don’t be mad at me! Can we still talk and get to know each other?”

Zuko let his angry stare linger on Okami before turning to Kiyi, expression softening. “Of course I’m not mad at you.” He replied, voice shaking slightly. “I’m just...I’m…” he took a breath. “I’m shocked.”

Okami folded her arms, and Zuko looked back at her, his expression souring immediately. “Come with me,” he barked. “I have some questions for you.”

They settled down at what seemed to be the dining table. Katara and Toph didn’t argue, but their confusion was mounting. Kiyi sat between Katara and Zuko, and the Fire Lord glared at Okami, who sat between him and Toph.

“Alright,” Zuko huffed, folding his hands in front of him. “Toph, I’m going to ask Okami some questions. I need you to let me know if she’s lying, please.”

Toph shrugged. “Whatever you say, Sparky.”

Okami glared at Zuko as the latter cleared his throat, preparing for his first inquiry. “What is your name?” He asked, eyes narrowed. 

“Okami Yaiko.”

“Where were you born?”

“Hijusho Village, Rotaki District.”

Zuko leaned forward even farther. “What are your parent’s names?”

“Lumi Yaiko,” Okami recited, her eyes flashing. “My father’s name is unknown.”

“Parent’s nationalities?”

“My mother was Earth Kingdom. My father was a Fire National. She was a non-bender, he was a Firebender.”

Zuko glanced at Toph, who nodded. He scowled, turning back to Okami. “Who has your loyalty?”

“Utana Miesu.”

“Who else?”

Okami’s eyebrows furrowed. “My friends.”

Zuko studied her for a moment. “Do you trust me?” He continued. 

“No.” She answered simply.

“Do you trust any of us?”

“No.”

“Did you instruct Kiyi to hide the fact that we have the same mother?”

Katara gasped. Toph blinked several times, her mouth falling open slightly, but Okami didn’t even flinch. “Yes, I did.” She replied. 

Zuko scowled. “Why?” He spat.

“Because I don’t trust you.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re Fire Nation.”

Zuko folded his arms across his chest. “Is that it? You don’t trust me because I’m Fire Nation? That’s the only reason?”

Okami leaned forward. “Yes.” She answered spitefully.

“She’s lying.”

Everyone turned to look at Toph. Okami’s face fell into a growl.

Zuko slammed his hands down on the table, standing abruptly. “Why don’t you trust us?” He demanded again, his voice practically a shout. 

Okami stood as well, meeting his eyes. “Because I have no reason TO trust you!”

“She’s still lying.”  
“Give me the answer!”

Okami threw her head back, rubbing her eyes for a few moments before sitting back down, leaning back in her seat. “Utana gave me a job if she were to ever be compromised.” She admitted, her voice cracked and small. “I am to watch over Kiyi as if she were my own blood - protect her, make sure that whatever got to Utana didn’t get it’s hands on her.” Okami glared up at Zuko, who was standing, speechless, above her. “Utana’s been running from the Fire Nation for as long as I’ve known her,” She continued bitterly, laying her head down on her arms. “She was convinced the Fire Lord would send spies and troops after her because she didn’t stay in the capitol. I never knew why, though.”

Silence stretched between them. “But…” Zuko trailed off. “My father was executed over four years ago. We pulled out of the Earth Kingdom territories. Why were you still worried?”

“How was I supposed to know it was done?” Okami snapped, pushing away from the table and standing quickly. “Utana never told us details about her past. I didn’t know why the Fire Nation was after her - none of us did - and you expect me to assume that a change of rule is going to solve these problems? She still went MISSING under your rule, didn’t she?”

Zuko’s eyes widened. “She’s my MOTHER!” He roared, slamming his hand down on the table. 

“She’s Kiyi’s mother, too!” Okami growled, stepping forward. “And I swore to her, I swore on my parent’s graves that I would protect her daughter with _my life_ , so I’M SORRY if I was being CAUTIOUS!”

They stood a few feet apart, glaring at one another intensely, before Kiyi got up and moved between them, holding up her hands. “Please,” She pleaded, looking up at Okami. “Please, let me speak? I deserve to have a say in this.”

Okami opened her mouth as if to argue, but hesitated and eventually sat back down, nodding to her. Kiyi took a deep breath. “I know we have to be careful,” She said to Okami. “I know what’s at stake, I know how dangerous this world is. You know that I know that. So please, please trust me. Trust my judgement.”

Okami glanced up at Zuko, her eyes narrowing, but she didn’t say anything, so Kiyi continued. “I trust Zuko.” Okami’s frown deepened, but she didn’t interrupt. “He saved his sister even though she isn’t healthy, even though she tried to hurt him during the war.” Kiyi explained, looking back at Zuko. “I’ve been talking with Toph and Katara. They’re real people, Okami, and it’s THEM, it’s the people who ended the war, who overthrew Ozai. It’s the Avatar’s friends. I want to trust them - I _do_ trust them. We don’t have any reason not to.”

Okami looked from Kiyi to Zuko, back to Kiyi, before shoving her seat back with a huff. “If that’s what you want, then fine.” She snapped, throwing her hand up. “I tried my best.”

Kiyi watched her go back into their bedroom, slamming the door behind her, eyes narrowing. Katara glanced between Zuko and Okami, then to Kiyi, then back to Zuko. “Agni,” she whispered, “You guys...are SIBLINGS?”

“Half siblings, technically!” Kiyi answered brightly, eyes lighting up. “You’ve GOT to hear these things I’ve been realizing, it’s almost like -”

As she continued to ramble excitedly to Katara, Toph turned to Zuko with a smirk. “How does it feel to have TWO little sisters?” She punched his arm lightly, and Zuko relaxed. Toph usually wasn’t so comforting or affectionate. 

Zuko opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. “I’m really not sure,” He replied honestly, shrugging. “I’m still...I’m still wrapping my head around it.” 

“I knew she was hiding something.” Toph sniffed, looking over at Kiyi, who was still talking animatedly to Katara. Her eyes were crinkled as if she was suppressing a smile. “I’m glad my encouragement helped bring out the truth.”

“Your…encouragement?” Zuko glanced down at her, frowning. “You talked to her?”

“Of course!” Toph waved her hand absently. “Someone had to break the ice. I think she’s been hanging out with Katara, too.”

“Oh.” Zuko watched as Katara giggled at something Kiyi said, and the young firebender glowed with pride. “She seems so much more relaxed now.”

“Of course she is. She was being forced to keep this secret, her mom is missing, she’s already lost her dad,” Toph shook her head. “I’m not holding any judgement against Okami or the other guys in their group, I don’t know them, but they seem to be the only people Kiyi knows. I think it’d be nice for her to have some other friends, some other relationships.”

Zuko waited a few moments before asking, “Do you happen to know how old she is?”

“She said she was thirteen.” Toph cocked her head. “Well, _almost_ thirteen.”

Zuko shook his head. “I haven’t seen her act like a teenager before today. What has she seen to make her so serious, to grow up so fast?”

“She’s been surrounded by adults, Zuko.” Toph reminded him, “forced into a very adult world at a very young age. She’s still a kid, but she’s had to mature in order to keep up.” She sighed, resting her elbows on the table. “We were the same way, you know.”

Zuko pressed his lips into a thin line. “Yeah, I guess we were.”

_o0o0o_

“This isn’t right.” 

Suki pulled out her fans, opening them slowly so as to not make any noise. The dark hallway seemed to be glaringly bare, abandoned, with nothing to hint at recent activity.

“We know they’re here.” Jet hissed, his hooked swords already out. “Jinuk _saw_ them come in here and he didn’t see them leave.”

“How do we know where to go?” Sen asked, hand on the hilt of his sword. “There are dozens of different hallways and doors - how do we make sure to cover all the space?”

Jet scowled. “We should split up.”

“HELL no.” Suki whispered loudly, turning to him in dismay. “Are you insane? They could pick us off one by one! We’re stronger together!”

“Well, what do you suggest?” Jet snapped.

Suki pursed her lips before putting away one of her fans. “We search together,” She decided. She snapped her wrist out, and the brace on her forearm slid out, small pieces of metal clicking into place until it formed a circular shield.

Sen stared at it. “How does that even work?”

“Shh.”

“Does that thing even obey physics?”

“Shut up!” Suki elbowed him in the side, causing him to yelp. She held her shield up in front of her, the fan in her other hand, out to the side. “Stay behind me,” She ordered, moving slowly up to the last door in the long hallway. “Let’s start with this one and move our way back toward the entrance. Be on alert.”

Sen grunted, gripping the hilt of his sword more tightly. Jet bent his knees, baring his teeth. “Let’s do this.” He whispered, mostly to himself. 

Suki took a deep breath before opening the door quietly with her shielded hand, then pushing it open with her body. They were met with a dark room, relatively empty, with a door on the adjacent wall. 

Suki carefully put away her fan before moving silently into the room, gesturing with her hand for the two men to follow her. They did so in a slightly less silent manner, causing Suki to wince. She led them over to the next door and held up a fist, signalling for them to stop. 

She opened the door, following the same procedure. Again - an empty room, save for a few pieces of trash and crumpling drywall. There was yet ANOTHER door across the room, and Suki clenched her jaw. 

“I don’t like this…” Jet breathed from behind her, and Suki nodded in silent agreement.

Sen shifted uncomfortably. “Do you think all the rooms are connected?” He asked, his whisper uncomfortably loud.

Suki shot him a glare. “Shh!” She chided before actually answering him. “I think they might be. It’s the perfect place for a hideout. We just have to -”

The door in front of them burst open and fire shot toward them. Suki held up her shield, yelping as she dove to the side. Sen roared and pulled out his blade, crashing through the door frame. He was met with another blast of fire that he deflected with the thick, flat side of his sword. They heard a scream on the other side of the door. 

Jet stiffened, eyes wide. “That was her!” He shouted, hooking his blade around the firebenders wrist and tugging him forward. As the man fell toward him, Jet elbowed him in the head. His eyes rolled back in his head and fell stiffly. 

They heard more muffled yells, and Jet burst through the door, met with more blasts of fire. He slashed wildly, hooking one around a man’s ankle and pulling him off his feet. A woman who rushed toward him was impaled almost immediately, and she screamed, holding her side in pain. Jet kicked her to the ground and they kept running.

They burst into the next room and Jet stopped in his tracks. Suki felt her face get numb. 

“Jet!” Utana cried, struggling against her captors, her hands tied. A gag hung around her neck as if she had worked it loose and she now fought against the two men holding her. There were a few more in the room, and they lunged toward Jet.

All self-restraint gone, Jet screamed in rage, slashing his swords toward the oncoming opponents. They fell with sickening thuds. Sen ran toward Utana, but one of the men let go of her and charged him, fire sparking in his hands. Growling, Sen brought his giant sword up to meet the fire, and it splayed out toward the sides.

Suki saw her opportunity, and she took it. She bolted toward Utana, weaving around the fighting happening around her. She distantly heard a door opening across the room, more feet bustling in. _No, no, no-_ she thought, clenching her teeth. 

Utana bent her knees slightly, and before the man holding her could figure out why, she jumped, slamming the back of her head into his face. He cried out, stumbling, and she stomped his foot before kicking him in the shin. The man bent over in agony. Utana proceeded to knee him in the head and he collapsed onto his side, unconscious. 

“Utana!” Suki skidded to a halt next to her, pulling out a small throwing knife with her free hand and cutting the woman’s bonds free. “We’re getting you out of here, don’t worry -”

“You shouldn’t have come!” She hissed, rubbing her wrists. “They won’t let you take me!”

“Too bad for them.” Suki snapped, grabbing her arm. “Let’s go!” 

The two women ran toward the closest door, but before they reached it, Suki felt the hair on her arms stand up. The air crackled. She stopped and turned to look, eyes widening at the firebender twisting lighting about in front of him. Utana hadn’t seen, and she continued to run, a few meters from the door. The man shoved his hand out, pointing at her.

Suki leapt forward, but she was going to be too late, she reached out, pushing off the ground with as much strength as she could muster with every step, but it was no use. 

“No!” Suki screamed, and in a final act of desperation, she threw her fan in front of Utana. Spiraling across the room and slicing through the air, the metal caught the lightning with a sickening crackle. It continued to hurtle past Utana and diverted the lightning into the corner of the room. Utana spun around, eyes wide. 

The commotion in the room seemed to pause for a moment, stunned. Suki recovered quickly and gestured to Jet. “Let’s go!” 

Jet barely had time to turn to her before a man lunged at him with a sword. Cursing, Jet pulled back, having to fight on the defensive. Suki glanced over at Sen, but she didn’t even try to shout to him, as he was busy fighting three people at once, swinging his large blade faster than seemed humanly possible.

“Take her!” Jet roared, kicking an incoming attacker in the knee. “Take her and go! Get her to safety!”

Suki looked back at Utana, who was standing in the doorway. The hallway was empty - if they left now, they would be free. But…

“No, I can’t leave you two here!” Suki cried, pulling out her katana. “You’ll die!”

An enemy jumped on Jet’s back, wrapping an arm around his neck. He stumbled backwards, grunting, before pitching forward and throwing the opponent off of him. He was rushed by more, they kept flooding into the room, weapons glinting in their hands.

“Just go!” Jet shouted. Suki could barely hear him over the clanging of metal. 

She grit her teeth, still standing protectively in front of Utana. “But-”

Sparks and screeching metal brought Suki’s attention away, and she leapt back into the doorway, narrowly avoiding being crushed. A large, metal cabinet which had sat against the adjacent wall was smashed against the exit, blocking any entry or exit. There was a few feet of space above it, a window where Suki now looked in on the fight, a spectator. Helpless.

Sen grunted in the corner of the room, standing back up. _He shoved the cabinet,_ Suki realized, _to force us to leave. And to prevent enemies from chasing._

She met Sen’s eyes, and he nodded, an understanding passed between them. Suki glanced back one more time at Jet, who was too busy fighting, nearly overwhelmed, before she whirled around and grabbed Utana by the shoulder. “We need to run.”

“No!” Utana wrenched her arm free, appalled. “No, I will NOT leave them behind!”

“We don’t have a choice!” Suki begged her, forcing the woman forward. “I don’t want to leave them either, but we need to save you, we’ll come back for them.”

“They’re going to kill them!” Utana strained against Suki’s grip. “I can fight! We can fight! Go around through the other rooms and ambush from behind!”

They reached the end of the hallway and Suki threw open the exit door, the afternoon sun nearly blinding them. She pulled Utana out of the building, closing the door behind them, and tried to keep running, but Utana refused to move.

She glared at Suki stiffly. “I WON’T leave them!” She turned back toward the door. “I won’t-”

“Utana, please, listen to me,” Suki grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to meet Suki’s eyes. “Either they get captured and we can go back for them with the information we have, or we all get captured. Or we all die. We knew this mission might be a trap, and we came anyway. The faster we get back to Bhang Chi, the faster we can send people back here to save them.” Suki stopped, closing her eyes, head drooping. She knew good and well that she was trying to convince herself, too.”

Utana looked at her for a few moments before nodding curtly. “We can’t go back there. That’s the first place they’ll look.” She looked back down the street. “Come with me.”

“What? No, we HAVE to-”

Utana towed Suki down the street, passing a few buildings before turning the corner and marching onto the docks. Boats of all kinds lined up along the wooden walkways. Utana marched up to a man with abnormally long hair and cleared her throat. 

“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid we-” The man turned and stopped once he saw who he was speaking to. “Utana! I...what are you doing here?”

“Two hundred yuan worth of stock says that I was never here,” Utana folded her arms, face impassive, a commanding air about her. “I need a boat.”

The man seemed to be frozen in shock for a second, but he shook himself out of it. “Y-yes!” He sputtered. “What, uh, what ship would you like?”

“Your fastest, but least flashy.” Suki spoke up. Utana nodded in approval, and Suki felt anxious as she began to hear shouts in the distance, back in the direction of where they had come.

They had barely begun to sail away from the docks when a group of men, beaten and looking very worse for wear, rushed into the street. Suki breathed a sigh of relief as they scanned the docks and moved on, shouting to one another. 

“So,” She secured the sails. “Where to?”

Utana sighed, staring off into the vast, open ocean. She met Suki’s eyes, and finally replied with resignation, “Ember Island.”

_o0o0o_

“I just don’t know what to do!” Zuko paced, his hands gesturing a bit more wildly than his usual curt motions. “I mean, how am I supposed to act? What does one _do_ with a child?”

“For Agni’s sake, Zuko,” Katara snipped crossly, folding her arms. She sat cross-legged on his bed as he walked back and forth the small room. It was a bit cramped - there were only two bedrooms, so Zuko, Katara, and Toph were sharing. Toph was out in the living area with Kiyi, listening to her read the dragon book, and Okami was sulking. Katara was helping Zuko process his emotions, which he very clearly did not do often enough. Well, neither did she. 

“What?” Zuko stopped in front of her, hands up as if he were surrendering. His exasperation was matched by Katara’s own. 

She scooted forward. “Kiyi is almost thirteen.” She said.

Zuko folded his arms. “So?”

“So, she’s about the same age Aang was when you met him.” Katara played with a few strands of her hair absentmindedly. “You don’t have to DO anything, Zuko, just be yourself. Get to know her.”

“But I didn’t even know she existed until just now!” Zuko resumed his pacing. “How am I supposed to bond with her after not even knowing she was my sister - that I even had another sister at all?”

Katara sighed. “Zuko, you’re thinking too much about this.” She patted the bed next to her. “Sit down, for Agni’s sake, you’re making me dizzy.”

Zuko reluctantly obliged, seeming to deflate as he sat. “I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do here, Katara.” He whispered, eyes unfocused. “We can’t go back to the Fire Nation, the nearest Earth Kingdom port is days away, we’re no closer to finding my mother, and an answer from Bhang Chi won’t be back via messenger hawk for days, too. I can’t just sit around here waiting. And now...now I have to get to know a sister I didn’t know I had? While caring for my other sister, who nearly burned down our boat? Spirits save me…”

Katara scooted a bit closer, laying her hand on his arm. “Hey,” She said, nudging him slightly. He moved just enough to be able to meet her eyes. “You’ll be okay.” She promised, moving to squeeze his hand. He folded his fingers through hers, but he didn’t squeeze back. She stared at him for a moment before continuing. “Maybe you should take her somewhere?”

“What?”

“Kiyi.” Katara tapped her fingers on her thigh, her other hand still holding Zuko’s “Maybe you should find somewhere close, maybe a day or two of a journey, and take her to visit. Just the two of you. That would be a good way to get to know her, and it would keep you busy. You’d be back before we got any word of developments.”

Zuko seemed to flinch away from the idea. “Vacationing?” He seemed unnerved. “While searching for my mother? I couldn’t do that!”  
“Zuko…” Katara closed her eyes. “We’re stuck here with nothing to do until we get a response from the others. You and I both know that starting another, longer journey to the Earth Kingdoms will help no one until we have more information.” She reached across and grabbed his jaw softly, forcing him to meet her eyes. “You won’t be wasting time, Zuko. You’ll be USING the time we unfortunately have to spend, and you’ll be using it to get to know Kiyi.”

Zuko seemed to give pause at her words, as if he hadn’t thought of it this way. Katara added one more bit. “Would you rather be stuck here doing nothing?” She pressed. 

“Hand me that map.” Zuko replied, his tone even. Katara, surprised, grabbed the folded map from the bedside table and handed it to him. “Thank you.”

He spread open the map, scanning it. Katara found where he was looking and was relieved to see him searching the nearest islands. Zuko’s eyes widened, his finger drifting from the north pole on the map to an island to the east. He stopped on top of the island. From the looks of it, the journey by boat would take a little more than a day in one direction. A three day journey would take up all of their time. Katara squinted, trying to read the name of the island, but failed. The map was too old.

“You want to take Kiyi there?” She finally asked. 

“Yes,” Zuko breathed, and Katara was shocked to find a glint of excitement in his eyes. “Yes, it’s perfect! It’s perfect!” He looked up at her, a smile spreading across his face. “Thank you so much, Katara, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

He pulled her into a hug, and Katara wrapped her arms around him, squeezing. “Of course,” She replied, comforted by his warmth. They sat there for a moment before Katara reluctantly pulled away, sitting up. “What is that place? I don’t think I know it.”

“Tochantli” Zuko stood up slowly, staring down at the map before looking back at Katara, his tired face outshined by his excited eyes. “The land of the Sun Warriors.”


	14. Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone in Bhang Chi gets some grim news. The fate of Jet and Sen remains unknown, but Zuko and Kiyi take off on their bonding trip. Katara, Toph, and Okami stay with Azula. There are some interesting developments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! As usual, I'm sorry this took so long - I hope you all are doing wonderfully!
> 
> Comments are very much appreciated!
> 
> I hope you enjoy! - Aleviah

The air was stiff and silent, dry, and cracked. Sokka stared, open mouthed, at Aang, who hung his head to hide his glistening eyes. Nasoki and Ty Lee didn’t hide their tears.

“I…” Mai began, but she trailed off. “I am so sorry.” Her face was shriveled in anguish. She seemed hunched into herself, a strangely vulnerable stance compared to her usual straight-backed state. She dug her fingernails into her arms as she hugged herself. “I’m so sorry,” She repeated in a whisper, taking a step back. 

“This isn’t your fault, Mai.” Sokka wanted to reach out and comfort her, but he wasn’t sure that’s what she needed. Sokka HATED when his friends were upset, he hated when they were hurting. He never knew what to do. His usual jokes to light the mood were highly inappropriate at a time like this. 

Ty Lee, tears streaming down her cheeks, was crying quietly. She was holding it in masterfully, as if she was used to doing it. But the quiet room exposed the small sobs that she swallowed. She clenched her eyes shut before running forward, throwing her arms around Mai and burying her head into the Governesses shoulder. Mai, clearly surprised, didn’t pull away like she always did, and instead hesitantly wrapped her arms around Ty Lee. 

“It’s hitting her harder,” Nasoki whispered to Aang and Sokka, “Because she knew her. I barely remember her - she died when I was four.” 

Sokka nodded. Nasoki still had tear stains on her cheeks, and her eyes were a mixture of pain and fury. She made her way over to comfort her sister, and Sokka turned to Suki, his eyes grim. “She’s minimizing her own pain.”

“I know.” Suki’s eyes followed Nasoki as she held Ty Lee’s hand. “But we shouldn’t push her. Not yet.”

Mai had kept her hand on Ty Lee’s shoulder, mildly surprising everyone. A gesture of comfort. “What are we supposed to do?” Ty Lee asked, dabbing at her eyes with her sleeve. 

Nasoki hardened her jaw. “Well, we’re the first Air Nomads that Aang has found.” She turned to him, and he looked up. There was so much pain in all of their faces. “It’s up to us, individually, of whether or not we want to learn the ways of the Air Nomads.”

Ty Lee looked between Aang and Nasoki. “What if…” She whispered, deflating. “What if I don’t want to be an acolyte?”

“You don’t have to be,” Aang assured her. “You can decide what aspects of the culture you want to incorporate into your life. You don’t have any responsibility or expectations to do so, it’s completely your decision.”

Ty Lee’s eyes seemed to unfocus. “But…” She said quietly, “It IS my responsibility. To have children.”

Aang’s face descended into anger. “No, it’s not,” he replied, a bit harsh. “We’re going to find others.”

“It’s okay, Ty Lee.” Nasoki stepped forward, grabbing her sister’s hands and forcing Ty Lee to meet her eyes. “I’m going to do it.”

Everyone turned and stared at her. She didn’t waver. Aang was the first to speak, his eyes wide. “But, Nasoki, you don’t have to-”

“I’ve thought about it, Aang.” She insisted, folding her arms across her chest. “I’ve had the last day to think about it, and I’ve decided. I know it’s a big decision, but I’m sticking to it.”

“Wait,” Sokka held up his hands. “You guys have known about this for a whole day?”

Ty Lee nodded, grimacing. “We wanted some time to...to process.” She explained, apologetic. Sokka nodded in understanding.

“Ty Lee!” 

Someone rushed into the room - a Kyoshi warrior, holding a paper in her hand. It was tied closed. She stopped in the doorway, eyes widening at the emotion in her superiors’ faces. “Oh,” She said softly, unsure. “I’m...I’m sorry for interrupting, but a letter just came via messenger hawk. You told us to let you know if this happened -”

“Thank you very much,” Mai intervened calmly. She wasn’t harsh, but she was firm. The girl handed Mai the letter, bowed slightly, and left the room. 

Ty Lee wiped her eyes for a final time as they all gathered around the Governess. “Who is it from?”

“Zuko.” Mai scanned the letter. “Oh, Agni…”

Aang stepped forward anxiously. “What does it say?”

Mai took a shaky breath.  _ “Friends,” _ She read,  _ “I’m writing to you from the sea.” _

Sokka’s eyes widened. “The SEA?”

“Let her finish.” Aang said with a slight edge.

Mai continued.  _ “I’m not going to write in code because I don’t really know how.”  _ She paused to roll her eyes.  _ “I’m sure Ty Lee has told you about the events at the palace. We were able to safely get my sister out and secure a vessel. We are now heading toward the North Pole, our closest option of land other than the Fire Nation, since we lack food and supplies. Everyone is uninjured, but I’m sorry to report we weren’t able to recover any information. We were in Caldera for mere hours before having to flee.” _

“Wow….” Sokka breathed. “I’m glad they’re all okay…”

Ignoring Sokka’s comments, Mai pressed on.  _ “While we’re in the North Pole, we’ll try to do some research, too. We’ll wait to make another move until we receive your response. I must warn you - my suspicion of the Fire Sages was correct. Saiko was at the attack when they tried to hurt Azula. That concerns and confuses me, though - why he would be there. There were an extensive amount of guards and soldiers fighting for him, so there was no reason for him to show up personally. It makes me wonder if they were expecting us, if they KNEW we were coming. And if they did...why did Saiko want to confront us? It’s almost more concerning if he went to go watch them hurt Azula, or possibly hurt her himself. If there’s one thing Saiko is good at, it’s being lazy, so I don’t think this is just about power. If he’s personally seeing to these things...I’m worried there’s so much more to this than we know. Keep your eyes and ears open. Please respond with a detailed update. _

  * _Zuko”_



Mai looked up from the letter, eyes wide. She exchanged a look with Sokka, who grimaced. 

Aang glanced between the two of them. “What?” He asked, suspicious.

Mai nodded to Sokka, so he explained, “Suki said that they would try and be back by this morning. It’s already afternoon, and if they stayed later, Suki said that they’d send a message via Jinuk’s messenger hawk. That would be here in a few hours. We haven’t heard from them yet.”

Aang shrugged. “So?”

“So, if we don’t hear from them by sunset, we need to assume something has gone wrong.” Mai replied bluntly. “We need to start planning for an extraction.” She set the letter down on a side table, her expression grim. “Again.”

_ o0o0o _

Zuko felt sick to his stomach. “But,” He protested, but Katara cut him off.

“We can take care of Azula.” she assured him firmly pushing his travel pack into his arms. “You can’t back out now. Kiyi is ready to go, and if you two don’t leave quickly, Okami will try and stop you.”

Zuko scratched his head. “I...I still don’t know if leaving without Okami’s knowledge is the...BEST idea…”

Katara smiled softly. “It may not be,” She replied, “But Toph and I can deal with that, too. You need to go. Have fun, okay? If you aren’t back in four days, we’re coming to find you.”

Zuko couldn’t help but grin back. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

He turned to leave, Kiyi waiting at the door with her travel pack, but Katara grabbed his arm and turned him around so she could throw her arms around him. He nearly stumbled in surprise, but caught himself in time to swing his bag over his shoulder and hug her back. She had wrapped her arms around his neck, and even standing on her tip-toes she was much shorter than him. In order to wrap his arms around her waist, he had to bend ever so slightly, and Katara buried her head into the crook of his neck, sighing for a moment before pulling away. Zuko did the same, although hesitantly, and his hand lingered by hers for a moment before pulling back to his side. 

“Have a good trip!” Katara beamed up at him, shooing him away. Zuko gave her one last grin before heading off, Kiyi following him out the door eagerly.

Toph huffed as the door closed behind them. “There’s a very small chance that this could go well,” She sat in the nearest chair. “And there’s a very LARGE chance that it could all go to shit. So…”  
Katara folded her arms, her face falling into a frustrated frown. “So what?”

“So, what’s your plan?” Toph leaned back, crossing her legs leisurely. “Are we going to lock Okami in her room? Or should I put her in cuffs?” She pulled the metal bracer off of her arm, bending it midair into handcuffs, which she held up proudly. She grinned maniacally, and Katara slapped the cuffs out of her hands. “Hey!” Toph protested, bending it back to her and molding it back into an arm brace.

“Oh, shut up.” Katara rolled her eyes. “I saw you through the cabin window on the boat, you did the same thing to Kiyi.”

Toph scoffed. “I hit a  _ book _ out of her hands. Specifically, an  _ encyclopedia. _ Do you know what that means?” Katara opened her mouth to answer, but she didn’t get a chance to before Toph continued. “That means it’s BORING.” 

“It is not!” Katara snapped. “It’s actually a really interesting book, and it’s not written like a textbook or something.” She turned a chair at the table around to face Toph and sat down gently. “It’s almost like a story, really. The story of the dragons in great detail.”

Toph scoffed, grabbing a fruit from the table next to her and taking a large bite. “Nerd.”

The door next to Toph opened and Okami stalked into the room, yawning. Toph swallowed her bite of fruit. “How is she doing?” 

“Fine.” Okami left the door open and collapsed into a chair next to Katara. “She just keeps telling me that I’m not real.”

Katara and Toph exchanged a glance. “That doesn’t sound...good.” Katara grit her teeth. “I’m going to go talk to her. Call if you need me.” She looked pointedly at Toph before taking her shift with Azula.

Okami looked over her shoulder at her room, where the door was hanging open. “Where’s Kiyi?”

Toph took another large bite of her fruit and chewed viciously, pretending as if she hadn’t heard Okami’s question. 

“Toph.”

The earthbender took her time before swallowing. “Oh, Kiyi left.” She replied casually. “With Zuko.”

“What?” Okami stood quickly, the chair behind her scooting back. “What do you mean, they  _ left _ ?”

“They left on a boat, they’re going to a nearby island for a few days, then they’ll be back.” Toph shrugged. “No big deal.”

Okami stared at her for a few moments. “You’re joking.”

Toph screwed up her face in offense. “Of course not! I’m a serious person, after all.”

Okami seemed to gather herself before grabbing her things on the table and speeding for the door. Before she could reach the door, the stones from the floor slid upward in a smooth motion, turning the exit into a blank wall. Okami whirled toward Toph. “Let me out!”

Toph chewed, mulling it over. “No, I don’t think I will.”

Okami drew one of her knives. “I don’t want this to get ugly, Toph. Let me out.”

“I said no,” Toph rolled her eyes. “You can throw your fit  _ inside _ .

Growling, Okami began to make her way toward Toph, blade held out menacingly. Toph casually waved her hand and the blade melted away from the hilt, flowing through the air and into the earthbender’s hand. Okami stopped in her tracks, glancing down at her blade with wide eyes. “Did you just-”

“Okami,” Toph sat forward. “You need to let Kiyi learn and experience things for herself. She’s safe with Zuko, and they’re going to a safe place.”

“People are trying to KILL him!”

Toph sighed, resigned. “Zuko lived on a boat for years.” She grabbed yet another piece of fruit. “He knows naval strategy. Not to mention he’s a great firebender - he may not be flashy and showy, but he knows how to use his firebending in creative ways. He’s also a master swordsman and combatant. They’re traveling to an island that’s safe for them - Zuko’s developed a mutual respect with the local tribe.” She leaned back in her chair. “You don’t always need to keep Kiyi under her thumb.”

Okami fumed. “I swore to protect her!” she yelled. “I  _ swore _ ! And I care about her like she’s my sister!”

Before Toph could respond, Katara opened the door, glancing apprehensively between the two. “Toph,” She said quietly, “Let’s switch.”

Toph stood up and eagerly left the room, closing the door to Azula’s room with a snap. Katara sighed as she made her way to a chair, sitting gingerly. Okami glared at her.

“Okami,” Katara finally said, staring down at her hands. “I know that you want to protect Kiyi. I really do. But if you continue to control her life like this - keeping her under your wing, protecting her from every possible threat, not letting her make her own decisions - she’ll never learn how to make those decisions for herself.”

Okami’s expression lost it’s vigor. She looked at the ground.

Katara watched her closely. “If you want to protect Kiyi,” She continued softly, “you need to help her learn how to make smart decisions - and part of doing that is to let her try. Besides,” She stared into the bedroom she shared with Toph and Zuko. “It’ll be about four days until we get a response from everyone else. They need a distraction right now, otherwise they’ll feel helpless while worrying about their Mom. And they deserve the time to bond with one another.”

Okami’s shoulders sagged. “I’m…” She shook her head. “I’m not a trusting person, but I’ll let this one go. But if anything happens to her, I  _ will _ kill him.”

The corners of Katara’s mouth twitched. “No, you won’t.”

“What? Do you think I can’t take him?”

“No, I’m sure you’re used to fighting firebenders.” Katara stood. “I’m sure you could beat him, even if Zuko has you outmatched.”

Okami paused. “Wait, what?”

Katara sighed. “Zuko’s greatest flaw as a fighter is his compassion.” She began to gather the leftover dishes from their last meal and carry them toward the sink. “He wouldn’t fight you. Not really. He would hold back because he doesn't want to fight his friends.”

Okami scoffed. “He’s not my friend.”

Katara frowned. “Answer me this - did you grow up with your friends?”

Okami seemed off-guard at the question. “Y-yeah, I was actually a part of the Freedom Fighters for a while before I left to try and find my sister. I never did, but I met Utana, and I met Sen and Monuk then. They’re my family.”

“Zuko didn’t have that.” Katara began washing the dishes. “For years, after his mom had disappeared, he was banished. He was alone aside from his Uncle, and later, Mai. He just wants to make friends, and he pretty much sees every ally as a friend until they try and kill him.”

Okami closed her eyes. “So, you’re saying Zuko knows me and sees me as an...ally, so he wouldn’t fight me?”

“Exactly.”

“Which is the reason I would be able to beat him.”

“Yup.”

They fell silent, the only noise being Katara scrubbing the dishes. Okami spoke again. “But…” She looked up at Katara, confused. “Why did you say I couldn’t kill him, then?”

“Because I wouldn’t let you.”

Okami felt a small trickle of fear slide down her spine at her words, which were chillingly soft. Okami studied Katara, watching her bend water around the dishes as if it was nothing.  _ She’s dangerous, _ Okami thought, realizing why the others held her in such respect.  _ She’s dangerous, but she’s a healer, too. She’s the one who saved Zuko’s life. And Aang’s. She’s the one who beat Azula. _ Everyone knew the stories of the Avatar and his friends - of what they had done as children. Katara was the first waterbender Okami had ever met - Okami had no experience. And she didn’t doubt for a second that Katara would destroy anything that threatened her friends.

“So,” Katara began awkwardly, snapping Okami out of her thoughts. “How do you think Azula’s doing?”

Okami felt cold. “I…”  _ Dammit _ . “I can’t believe she just... _ broke _ like that. At fourteen years old. She would have had to go through a lot in order for that.” She looked away from Katara. “I can’t believe she’s Princess Azula, the one who was so heartless. She keeps crying about her promises and how she’ll do better about something. I never thought she would be…” she hesitated. “ _ Scared _ .”

Katara pursed her lips. “Yeah...I hope I can help her.”

“I think you can.”

“Really?”

“She’s much better than she was when we got her, isn’t she?” Okami shrugged. “I think we can. I think  _ you  _ can. You’re good with people.”

Katara huffed with amusement. “Sometimes I question whether or not that’s a good thing.”

Okami didn’t understand what that meant, but she let it go. It would be her turn to switch out with Toph soon. She grabbed a piece of fruit and pretended as if she was still angry.

She put it down as she stood up roughly, and Katara raised her eyebrows. Okami marched a few paces to Azula’s door and opened it. “I’ll take a double shift.”

Toph shrugged to Katara as she left the room, and Okami closed the door behind her. She turned back to the princess. 

Katara had told them to talk to her normally, as if she was okay. It felt strange to Okami, but for some reason, she wanted Azula to recover. She held a deep hatred for the Fire Nation, the royal family, but she was beginning to ask herself why.

She had seen people like Azula before - hurt so badly that they had crawled into a corner inside their own heads and stayed there, retreating. People who only reacted out of fear and didn’t seem to think about anything other than pure survival. Okami had seen it, and she knew where it came from. It came from pure evil.

_ Lord Ozai, _ Okami realized, sitting in the chair next to Azula’s bed.  _ He was pure evil. And he did this to her. How...how can I continue to be angry at her for her actions as a child? If she had known any better…” _

Okami didn’t know any better, once. Okami spent many years killing to survive, and after a while, she killed for money. She had been young, too, but still older than Azula had been when she had broken. Utana hadn’t found her until she was sixteen, and by that time, Okami had murdered many people. That’s what she was raised to do, and when she was in danger, she used what she had been taught to survive. And after she survived, she went back. 

Sometimes she wondered if she should feel ashamed, if she should be concerned that she felt so at peace with her actions. Not all of them, of course - Okami had killed many innocent people, and it haunted her, gave her nightmares of their spirits coming and sucking the air out of her lungs. But she had killed many people that she knew, Okami  _ knew _ they didn’t deserve to live anymore. Not after what they did to them. To  _ her _ . 

Utana had saved her, but...but Utana had to leave Azula when she was young. Azula hadn’t had Utana to save her like Okami did. 

She stared at the girl, who stared back. It was unsettling, at first, but Okami felt used to it. “Hi, Azula,” She smiled a bit. “How are you doing?”

Azula blinked. “Why do you look sad?”

What?

Okami was unsure how to respond. “M-me?” 

“Why are you sad?” Azula pointed at her. “Why are you scared?” She asked, moving her pointing finger down to Okami’s hands. She hadn’t realized she had been shaking. 

“I’m…” Okami took a deep breath, calming herself. “I’m okay.”

“No you’re not. I see your face, and you look sad.”

“I’m okay, Azula. I promise.”

“I promise, too.” Azula replied immediately. “I promise I’m sad.”

Okami looked at the princesses face, which didn’t display much emotion. “Why are you sad, Azula?” She asked softly. 

Azula looked away from her for the first time, and Okami was surprised to see her eyebrows furrow in concentration.  _ She looks like Kiyi _ , Okami realized. 

“I’m...sad.” Azula repeated, less sure of herself. Okami stayed silent, at a loss for how to respond. Azula looked back at her, nodding at herself as if she had found the answer. “I’m sad at night. There’s nothing to do when it’s dark outside.”

Okami took a moment to process. “What…” She hesitated. Should she keep pressing her about this? “What are you sad about?”

Azula faltered, slowly looking down at her hands, which sat in her lap. Her answer was meek. “I don’t want to fight anymore.”

Okami frowned. What? “Why do you fight, then?”

“I have to.” Azula whispered, staring at her bedsheets. “I have to fight everyone or they’ll hurt me.”

Okami felt a strange sense of dread.  _ They? Not ‘He’ or ‘dad’?  _ “Who would hurt you, Azula?”

The princesses eyes grew wide and she seemed to pull into herself, her whisper trembling. “Everyone.”

_ o0o0o _

Jet awoke feeling inexplicably angry.

He didn’t even know why at first. He just opened his eyes, groaned, reached for his throbbing head, and found that his hands were restrained behind his back. He blinked at the light, which was much more bright than necessary, and his eyes focused on another figure tied up and huddling in the room. “Sen!” Jet hissed, scooting toward him. “Sen, are you-”

“I’m fine,” Sen said gruffly. “Got a damn headache, my eyes are throbbing out of my skull.”

Jet, despite their predicament, found himself chuckling. “That doesn’t sound like you’re fine, Sen.”

“Ah,” Sen sat up, wincing. “But I am fine. I’m not dead.”

Jet nodded, hanging his head. “Yeah...we’re not dead.”

They sat in silence. They were in a small room with one door, no windows, and no furniture. Just a stone cold room. 

“Jet…” Sen began hesitantly. “What...what do you think they’re going to do with us?”

Stomach rolling, Jet turned away from Sen, not wanting him to see the terror in his eyes. “I don’t know, Sen. I don’t know why we’re still alive.”

“Well, that was their mistake.” Sen scoffed, sitting back. “They’ll come for us...they’ll get us out.”

“Yeah.”

Jet felt sick. He had never been the religious type, but he found himself praying to Agni that Suki and Utana got out safely. He didn’t want to think about what their captors would have done to them if they were caught. 

The top priority was that Suki got Utana to safety. But... _ would _ they come rescue them? The  _ Fire Lord _ was in their group now. There was so much more to this situation than they had thought. What if...what if everyone else was caught up in their own problems?

What if Jet and Sen weren’t a priority?

Jet cursed himself. They  _ shouldn’t  _ be a priority - Utana was priority. And as much as he hated to admit it, Zuko’s safety and security was essential for making sure the Fire Nation didn’t recolonize the Earth Kingdom territories. Jet and Sen just...weren’t that important. Their deaths wouldn’t change anything. 

“Jet,”

He turned to Sen reluctantly, trying to erase the emptiness from his face. Sen looked at him softly. “They’ll come for us. We don’t know who, and we don’t know when, but we know they will.” He looked down at the ground, grimacing. “Even if the gang back in Bhang Chi are too busy, when the other group gets back, you  _ know  _ that Okami would come for us.”

That was true.

As selfish as it felt, thank Agni that was true.

_ o0o0o _

Kiyi sat awkwardly on the deck of the ship, itching to open her book. She heard Zuko coming around from securing the ropes and she stood up awkwardly. 

She tried to look natural as he rounded the corner. He stopped when he saw her, and they stood like that, a few feet apart, for a very long few seconds. 

Zuko stared at her for a moment before scratching the back of his head. “So…” he began. “You’re...you’re twelve?”

“Almost thirteen!” Kiyi folded her arms. 

“Right,” Zuko closed his eyes. “Ummm…” he looked at her again. “You...your face looks a lot like her.”

Kiyi felt a chill go down her spine. “Yeah,” She shifted her weight. “Yeah, people say that a lot. 

“So...where did your eyes come from?”

“What?”

“Your eyes,” Zuko gestured toward Kiyi, sitting down on the nearest crate. “They’re green, not brown or gold.”

Kiyi sat as well. “Well, my dad’s father was fire nation. His mom was earth kingdom. He was a firebender with green eyes, too. It was good for missions, since he could act like an earth kingdom citizen but shade his eyes when he went on missions.”

Zuko frowned. “Missions? How did he shade his eyes?”

“Well, my dad had this mask he would wear, a helmet with a slit for his eyes to see. It would look dark to the people outside and they couldn’t see his face.”

Zuko nodded, interested. “Okay, I’ll bite. What did your dad do? What  _ were _ these missions?”

Kiyi crossed her legs eagerly. “Well, dad worked with my mom,” She explained, “Back when mom took over the cartel.”

Zuko sat back. “So, he ran...drug missions?”

Kiyi screwed up her face. “What? No! The cartel isn’t just about drugs.”

“It’s not?” Zuko’s eyes widened. “Wait, what else does it do?”

“It was actually created as a rebellion to the Fire Nation colonizers.” Kiyi explained. “But they needed a way to bring in money without drawing too much suspicion, so they got into the drug business under the radar. The former leader was an old woman who took mom in after she escaped the Fire Nation, and she left mom the cartel when she passed away. Dad was one of the top agents in the cartel...he would gather intel across the country, staying inconspicuous and all that cool stuff. They had me a few years later, and they got married after I was born.” Kiyi grinned broadly. “We don’t have a name, and locals don’t know exactly who we are, but people will talk about us - the Earth Kingdom citizens call us shadow soldiers.”

Zuko raised his eyebrows. “Shadow soldiers, huh?’

“Hey!” Kiyi cried in protest, punching his arm playfully. “It’s not  _ that  _ bad! Go find the schoolkids that made it up!”

Zuko chuckled. “No, I’m good.” He paused a moment before asking. “So...why did mom continue with the drug business? Does she still do other work?”

Kiyi sighed, folding her arms. “Mom feels like she has to stay in the business. She’s helped a lot of people with her brews, and there are a lot of other dealers who take advantage of people with their prices. Plus, it’s a business that gets her into the right places to help certain people.”

Zuko raised his eyebrows. “...like…?”

Kiyi shifted on the crate. “Um...well, there are people, a lot of girls, who are forced to do...things…” Zuko’s eyes widened and then they quickly narrowed. “Being a big dealer means she’s in with the right people, and a lot of times she sends us to break the people out and take them somewhere safe.” Kiyi pulled her knees up to her chest. “Or she just pays for their freedom. But most of the time we break them out, if we can, because mom says those people don’t deserve money.”

“No,” Zuko replied darkly, unusually quiet. “They don’t.”

Kiyi glanced up at him, unnerved at the change in his demeanor. “Are you okay?”

Zuko seemed surprised by her question before he simply sighed, leaning back against the stack of crates.“Not really,” He admitted. “My own Sages just staged a coup and are now at the helm of the Fire Nation, which I was barely able to run with them getting in my way all the time. And I feel like every day I’m learning more and more about the horrible things going on in the world, and as Fire Lord, it’s my job to  _ do  _ something about it.” He sighed, rubbing his temples. “I just wish, I  _ wish  _ things would have gone better.”

They sat in silence. Kiyi wasn’t sure what to say. She had been sure that Zuko would be strong at all times, always ready to take charge, resilient and brave. But he was just a person. 

“Zuko?”

He turned to look at her, his eyes slightly red. “You know they wouldn’t fight you so hard,” Kiyi told him, scooting over to the crate next to him. “Unless you were trying your best to do the right things. They fight you because they’re scared of you.”

Zuko smiled slightly at her before he turned away, chuckling. “I’m….I’m not sure about that, Kiyi.” He reached up and used a thin piece of twine to tie his hair up off of his neck. “I was pretty lost on what to do for the last few years.”

Kiyi sighed, staring out at the ocean. “Well, now you have more people to help you, other than just your friends. You have my friends, too, and you’ll have mom once we find her.”

Zuko felt a jolt of anxiety flow through him.  _ IF we find her _ . He forced it down and just replied with, “I also have all of my friends here, too. That’s been helpful.”

Kiyi frowned. “What? What do you mean? Don’t your friends live with you?”

Zuko let out a small huff of laughter. “No, no...up until a little bit ago, only Aang and Toph lived with me.” He picked at his fingernails absentmindedly. “Katara and Sokka were at their home in the Southern Water Tribe, and Suki was back on Kyoshi Island. We called for Katara to come - it’s a long story - and Sokka came with her, and it was a coincidence that Suki and her warriors were there, too.” Zuko looked behind them, past the stack of crates, and through the window into the captain's cabin. “Suki had just decided that the Kyoshi Warriors would stay in the palace as my official guard when Mai came and told us about the trouble in Rotaki, so we came right away.”

Kiyi tapped her nails on the cover of her book. “The Southern Water Tribe is...really far away from the Palace, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“How did you guys visit?”

Zuko winced, as if the question had stung him. “We…” he began through gritted teeth. “We didn’t, really. We saw Katara and Sokka maybe once a year, and I tried to write to them every month or so, but it was rare.”

Kiyi raised her eyebrows. “Then why are you and Katara so close?”

Zuko sat up straighter. “What?”

“Why are you and Katara so close?”

Zuko stared at Kiyi, mouth open in shock before struggling to find an answer. “I - um, we just did, we have been through some things together, you know? She’s great, and - I mean, all my friends are great, but I’ve been through a lot with all of them so it just forms this special bond?”

Kiyi folded her arms. “But a long distance relationship? How do you maintain that special bond?”

Zuko felt his face burning. “W-what relationship?” He asked, his voice a bit higher than usual. “There’s no ‘relationship’ here, I don’t know what you -”

He stopped as Kiyi pointed at him, grinning. “Oooooo!” She smirked, eyes twinkling. “It’s written all over your face!”

Zuko reached up and touched his cheek. “My fa - what?”

“You’ve TOTALLY into Katara!”

“WhAT?” Zuko’s voice cracked, and he paused for a moment to clear his throat before saying, “That’s absolutely ridiculous!”

Kiyi kept pointing at him, throwing her head back in laughter. “Your-” She gasped for air, eyes watering. “Your face is like a tomato! You know I’m right!”

“I-”

Zuko looked down at his hands.

_ “You’re TOTALLY into Katara!  _

“...am I?” He whispered, confused. 

Kiyi stopped laughing, processing what he had said, and Zuko suddenly felt his face flush more upon realizing he had said it outloud. Kiyi blinked. “You…” She said blankly. “You  _ don’t know _ ?”

Zuko folded his arms. “It’s not something I typically think about!” he snapped defensively. Kiyi rolled her eyes. 

“I see the way you look at her,” Kiyi grinned, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees. “You look at her and your eyes get all soft and you have this little smile you do, and you always look away when she turns around so she doesn’t catch you.” Zuko tried to interrupt her, but Kiyi held up her hand. “I’m not done! You know what else? You listen to her, you do what she asks.” Kiyi paused as her mind kept working, and her face faltered with a new thought. “Back in the palace, when you were carrying Azula and Katara was freezing all those people...you looked so scared. No, that’s not right. You look scared a lot.” Zuko huffed, glaring, but Kiyi didn’t seem to notice. “You looked like you were about to panic.”

Zuko grumbled. “Well, pardon me if the thought of my friend dying made me panic a bit.”

Kiyi raised her eyebrows at him. “Zuko,” She pressed, “You don’t look at other people like you look at her. Trust me.”

“Kiyi, you’ve known me for less than a week.”

“I’m extremely observant!”

Zuko rolled his eyes, and Kiyi punched him in the arm. He grinned.  _ My sister,  _ he thought, almost like he had forgotten.  _ She’s my sister. Is this how brothers and sisters are supposed to act? _

Kiyi opened her book, flipping to the page she left off on. “She’s way too pretty for you, though.”

Zuko blinked. “Hey!” He protested, grabbing the book out of her hands. She lunged for it but he held it out of her reach. “Not true!”

They glared at one another for a moment before Zuko gave in with a sigh. “Yeah, you’re right.”

“I know.” Kiyi huffed, flipping through the book again. She had forgotten the page number now - thanks, Zuko. She furrowed her brows, her lips pursed as she skimmed the pages, looking for a familiar landmark. Zuko stared at her, leaning back against the crates and smiling to himself before a thought struck him. 

“You look like Azula.”

Kiyi paused. Zuko bit his tongue, cursing himself quietly. “I do?” She asked, looking up at him.

Zuko hesitantly nodded after a brief moment of consideration. “That face you were making,” He gestured to her. “When you were concentrating. It reminded me of Azula, when she was younger.” Kiyi wasn’t sure what to say, and Zuko looked away. “She was...intense.”

“Will you let me talk to her when we get back?”

Zuko froze.  _ Talk  _ to her? “Kiyi,” He began slowly. “We aren’t sure if Azula understands what we’re saying. Her words don’t make sense.”

Kiyi pushed her book off her lap and it fluttered closed, forgotten. “I don’t care!” She said earnestly. “Please?”

Zuko stared at her. “I…” Kiyi’s face seemed to fall, afraid of his answer, and her eyes were pleading. Instead of an answer, Zuko just said, “Why?”

Kiyi blinked. “What?”

“Why do you want to talk to her?”

Kiyi stared at him. “She’s my sister, just like you’re my brother.”

“Yes, but…”  _ She’s dangerous. She’s done horrible things. She’s -  _

“I know what she did before,” Kiyi pressed. “I know that she hurt you, and Aang, and did lots of bad things. But she was barely older than me, right? And that’s all she knew. You said so yourself, she didn’t get a chance to learn any better. Can’t we...can’t  _ I  _ help her learn to be better now?” Kiyi’s voice was full of a hope that Zuko had lost, and he understood why she got along so well with Katara. “She’s my family,” Kiyi continued. “I have to try. WE have to try.”

_ “She’s been surrounded by adults, Zuko,”  _ Toph had said to him. She told it to him as if he was stupid, and maybe he was.  _ “Forced into a very adult world at a very young age. She’s still a kid, but she’s had to mature in order to keep up. _

_ “We were the same way, you know.” _

Zuko looked up at the sky, squinting at the clouds floating below the sun. “You’re not allowed to go into her room alone,” He began, and Kiyi’s eyes brightened. “But I guess you can talk to her.” he finally relented. 

Kiyi threw her arms around him, making a small squeak of joy. Zuko stiffened before cautiously reaching his arms around Kiyi’s shoulders and pulling her close. She buried her head into his chest and held onto him tightly. Zuko thought she was shaking slightly, trembling, but it could have just been his imagination. Regardless, Kiyi clung to him for a long time, and he elected to simply hold her until she was ready to pull away. Was she crying? Was she simply tired? Overwhelmed?

_ Agni, _ Zuko thought, closing his eyes.  _ What the hell has she gone through? _

_ o0o0o _

“You won’t hurt me?”

Okami shook her head. “Of course not. I would never hurt you.”

Azula studied her, and Okami felt exposed. Azula’s eyes were...they were so intelligent. “Why?”

Okami was stumped again. Damn, it was hard to have a light conversation with Azula. “Because….” Okami wondered for a split second why she was going soft, but the feeling passed in a heartbeat. “Because I’m your friend, Azula, and friends are kind.”

Azula frowned. “Why?”

Okami cursed silently. “Because...friends like each other. Friends care, so they would never hurt each other.”

Azula sat back. “Friends.” She repeated. “Weakness.”

“No,” Okami replied immediately. “Friends make you strong.”

Azula seemed to contemplate this. “I had friends once.” She said wistfully. “I think they hate me, now. They left me alone.”

Okami sat in silence. Azula did the same for a few minutes before continuing. “I wasn’t nice.”

Before Okami could think of a response, the door opened and Katara poked her head in. “Hey, I’m ready to switch, if-”

Azula pointed up at Katara. “You’re Zuko’s friend.” She said seriously. “Zuko. Where is Zuko? He’s my brother.”

Katara’s eyes widened. “Um…” She glanced over at Okami, who nodded. “...Zuko went on a trip. He’ll be back in a few days.”

Azula’s eyes seemed to drift away from Katara. “My head feels stuffy.” She said simply. “I don’t know why I fight, Okami. Father told me I should be the biggest, then no one would hurt me, but I was the biggest and people hurt me anyway. He lied to me.”

Okami looked at Katara, who returned her unsure expression. “...We’re trying to figure out what they did to you, Azula, and then you can try and be a better person. Does that sound good?”

Azula stared blankly for a few moments before replying, “Yes, I think so.” She looked back at Katara. “When Zuko comes back, can he come see me?”

Katara nodded, mind reeling at the progress. “Of course.”

Azula smiled slightly, and Katara was almost unnerved at the genuine display of positivity. “That’s good.” The princess said, laying down in her bed and pulling up the covers. “Zuko never lies.”


	15. Crossroads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our characters continue on their individual missions...and though they may be apart, one thing is shared between them: insecurity, doubt, fear, and endless problems. Though things aren't going according to plan, there's still a chance everything will be alright. As they continue to wade through the chaos, what more surprises will be thrown their way?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> I CANNOT tell you how much I enjoyed writing this chapter! I hope it's as exciting to read as it was to write! We're approaching the climax/end of this story arc, and I've enjoyed it indefinitely.
> 
> As always, comments are very much appreciated! I hope you enjoy!
> 
> -Aleviah

“Why is this so important?” Kiyi grumbled. 

Zuko stared at her. “...Why?” He asked, astonished. “Kiyi, chi is how we live, how we  _ bend _ \- learning to understand it and be in tune with it is an important part of being a firebender.”

Kiyi sighed, plopping down on the deck of the ship. They only had an hour left of traveling, if Zuko’s calculations were right, and she was getting restless. “I still don’t think you can teach me much.” She huffed. “I’m a good firebender, I don’t need your help.”

Zuko tried not to be offended and sat down next to her. “Who’s that earthbender on your team?”

Kiyi looked up, frowning. “Monuk?” She asked. “What about him?”

“Have you ever paid attention to his bending?”

Kiyi snorted. “No, why would I?”

“Because,” Zuko folded his arms. “We can learn from other bending styles.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Zuko took a breath, willing himself patience. “You remember that move I taught you last night? The stance to redirect lightning?”

“Of course.”

“Well, my uncle learned that from studying waterbenders.”

Kiyi perked up. “Really?”

Zuko nodded. “We can use stances from other bending styles, too. It makes us more flexible. Watch-” He stood up, creating a flame in each hand that extended outward. He lashed the fire around like two whips that cracked over the side of the ship. Careful not to set the boat on fire, Zuko extinguished his spectacle and turned back to his sister, whose eyes were wide. 

“Whoa, what was that!” She pointed, a grin spreading across her face. “Was...was that a waterbending move?”

Zuko folded his arms, smirking. “It sure was.”

“Show me another one!”

“No,” Zuko leaned against the side of the ship. “I want you to try. Think of another bending style, stances and moves you’ve seen people like Monuk use. Try to imitate them with your firebending.”

Kiyi thought for a moment before bending her knees, getting into a low, grounded stance. She was about to conjure a flame when Zuko held up his hand. “One more thing,” He advised. “Don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t go as planned…”

Kiyi paused, straightening back up. “What? Why?”

“Because it won’t go as planned.” Zuko bit back a smile. “That’s part of the process.”

_ o0o0o _

Aang’s eyebrows furrowed in concern as Monuk returned. “Did he-”

“He hasn’t seen any of them.” Monuk cut him off, expressionless. “They left to investigate a nearby abandoned building and he hasn’t seen them since.”

Sokka cursed, resuming his pacing in the corner of the room. Mai took a deep breath, standing up. “I think it’s time I tried again with Nyla.”

Everyone stopped to stare at her. “But…” Nasoki frowned. “You said she was too scared to do any tracking, you tried to get her to track Utana at least three times, how -”

“She’s more settled in, now.” Mai interrupted. “More used to things. She’s much calmer than she was when we found her, and I haven’t tried in almost three days.” She steeled herself. “We have to try.”

She walked out of the small alley confidently. Aang turned to Ty Lee, who shrugged. “Hey, at least we travelled with Nyla,” She pointed out. “It would have been a pain to go all the way back to Bhang Chi.”

“We don’t have time for this.” Sokka pushed between Nasoki and Ty Lee, following Mai. “Let’s go.”

Mai had apparently thought ahead while packing for this mission, and by the time they reached her, she was already holding three articles of clothing in front of Nyla, as well as a staff.  _ Utana’s staff _ , Aang realized. He had completely forgotten.

It was hard to keep up with the creature as it sniffed, roaming through the streets. Aang had warned the others that such an obvious display could invite a fight, but none of them really cared anymore. If he was honest with himself, Aang knew that he really didn’t care, either.

They reached the exit of an abandoned building, where Nyla halted abruptly, whining. She pawed at her nose, shaking it back and forth. Mai hopped off as the rest of the group caught up, panting. 

“What…” Sokka blinked at Nyla’s behavior. “What’s wrong with her?”

“She’s confused.” Mai clenched her jaw. “They must have split up at some point. Whether by choice or by force, we don’t know.”

Nasoki stepped forward. “Well, we should search this building for clues, right?” She asked, glancing up at Sokka. “Jinuk said that they went into a big, abandoned building, and the trail led us straight to one.”

“She’s right.” Monuk stepped forward. “We need to go in there.” He wiggled the handle, which was locked, and growled. 

Sokka groaned. “Great, just when we need a metal bender and Toph isn’t he-”

Monuk slammed his hand into the stone next to the door, crumbling it into the building. The others stepped back in shock, watching as the earthbender tore the stone away from the door in small amounts until the metal frame began to creak. It fell with a loud  _ CLANG  _ into what seemed to be a very long hallway, the stones crackling under the weight.

“Shit, the whole wall might come down.” Sokka gestured at the group. “We have to move, now!”

“Ty Lee, stay with me.” Mai called, and the Kyoshi Warrior turned around. “We need to have lookouts.”

“Got it!” Ty Lee grinned, jogging back over to her and Nyla. 

Mai looked into the dusty, jagged opening, making eye contact with Sokka, who nodded grimly. She returned the gesture before he ran after the rest of their group, and only moments after he did, the wall began to fold and crumble, filling up the gaping hole. 

_ o0o0o _

“Jet, you have to wake up. Something’s happening out there.”

_ Dammit, Sen, why do you have to be so loud?  _ Jet opened his eyes, but before he even registered any of his surroundings he felt his head throb in deep, agonizing pain. He cried out, reaching his hands to hold his head, but they were still bound in front of him. The light in the room peaked into his vision, which made the throbbing of his head more intense. Jet rolled over as a wave of nausea hit him.

“Jet!” Sen rushed to his side, struggling with his hands and feet still bound. “Jet, are you awake? Please, say something, I can’t tell what they did to you -”

_ I’m fine, just give me a second-  _

Distant yelling brought Jet to the present moment. He and Sen were being held captive. He had been interrogated, and they must have knocked him out. And there was...SOMETHING happening outside their holding cell.

Their holding cell was one of the only rooms in this Agni-forsaken building that only had one door, and their captors kept it barred at all times. Sen and Jet had given up on trying to escape - it was unlikely they would be leaving here alive. Even if they did give up information.

A crash, sounding closer this time, made Jet force himself to sit up. Sen held up his bound hands to Jet’s shoulder, eyes wide with terror. “Jet, are you okay?” 

He managed a small smile to his friend.  _ I’m fine, Sen. What’s going on? _

Sen stared at him expectantly, and Jet blinked the blurriness of his vision away, trying to focus through the pain.  _ Sen, I said I’m fine. What’s that noise? _

Sen squeezed his shoulder tighter. “Jet, please - just say something.”

_ What do you mean? I’m - _

Jet stopped, and suddenly he felt much more aware than he had been.  _ I… _ Jet looked at Sen, confused.  _ I am talking to you. I am, right? _

Sen’s expression didn’t change, and as the commotion outside grew closer, Jet felt a growing sense of panic, grabbing onto Sen’s other arm with both of his hands.  _ Sen, what’s happening - what...what happened to me? _

Sen pulled back at the terror in Jet’s eyes. “Jet, what’s wrong? Why won’t you-”

Jet pulled his hands up to his mouth, as if trying to check if it was still there. It was, of course, and Jet tried again.  _ Can you hear me? _

His lips made a few movements, but no sound came out. Jet felt his anxiety heighten. Why couldn’t he-

The door clanged and Sen moved in front of Jet protectively. Jet was too terrified to do anything other than stare in shock as the door burst open, and the two prisoners cringed away from the sudden movement. 

“Shit - guys, I found them!”

Jet opened his eyes, which he had clenched shut in fear. A flood of relief almost crippled his body as he saw Sokka rush over to them, and Monuk quickly followed. Jet didn’t think he’d ever been so relieved to see the scrawny, sniveling Earthbender in his life. 

“Oh, thank Agni-” Sen tried to stand up, but his binds were too tight. “Thank all the great spirits, Monuk - Monuk, something is wrong with Jet-”

A few more people piled into the room, and Jet felt as if he were about to cripple with pain, but the nearly week’s worth of tension was beginning to leave his body. Sokka was cutting Sen free, and Mai rushed over to Jet and whipped out a knife.

“You guys look like hell,” Monuk knelt next to Jet as Sen stood. “What happened?”

Jet tried to speak, but he knew now that the effort was futile.  _ They interrogated us...they hurt us… _

Monuk frowned. “Why are you mumbling?”

Jet growled in frustration. Rubbing his wrists, he grabbed Mai’s hand as she began to pull away.  _ They did something to me,  _ he tried, but to no avail. He could hear faint, incoherent mumbling from himself, but that was it.

Mai stared at him strangely, reaching down to pull him up onto his feet. Jet obliged, but the moment he rose he stumbled, slamming his back against the wall and clutching his head. His stomach heaved with nausea as the throbbing grew unbearable, his eyesight glazing over.

Jet somehow kept his balance, which he realized was thanks to Mai, who had grabbed him by the arms. Aang spoke from the doorway. “Is he falling unconscious?”

“No, he’s awake.” Mai pulled Jet’s arm over her shoulders to support him, and normally Jet would have protested, but he was too exhausted. And protesting would have done no good, anyway. “‘He’s alert, but he’s not speaking.”

Sokka grimaced, looking at Jet in what seemed to be a visual examination. “Jet,” he finally said. “Try to say something.”

_ I’ve been trying! _ Jet’s lips flabbered a bit, and the meaningless mumbling made him scowl in frustration, clenching his fists.  _ I’ve been trying this whole time! _

Sokka turned to the rest of the group, all crowded in the small holding room. “I think he hit his head.” He explained, then paused. “Well...I’m assuming THEY hit his head. His brain must be bleeding somewhere and it’s impeding his ability to speak. 

They stood in silence for a few moments before Mai resumed her authoritative stature. “We need to leave and go back to Bhang Chi as quickly as possible, we need to get out of here -”

“No.” Aang stepped forward. “If Jet’s brain is bleeding, we need to get him to Katara as fast as we can. The longer we wait, the more damage it’ll cause, and she might not be able to fix it.”

Mai glanced at Sokka, who nodded grimly. “This is a coastal town,” he reminded her. “We could buy a boat and head to the Northern Water Tribe, we’d be there in a few days.”

Monuk held the door open and they filed out. They exited the building through a gaping hole in the wall, which was only a few feet away from what seemed to be the remains of another piece of the structure. Assuming their previous entrance had caved in, Jet anxiously limped his way through the opening as quickly as possible.

Nasoki frowned as they reached outside, where Ty Lee stood with Nyla. “Wait,” She turned to Mai. “Weren’t you going to wait out here with Ty Lee?”

“I heard commotion.” Mai shrugged. “I got in through a ventilation shaft in the ceiling.”

Monuk stared at her. “How did you get on the roof?”

“That’s not important right now.” Mai held onto Jet as he swayed. “We shouldn’t  _ all  _ go to the North Pole, that’s not necessary and people need to stay here.” She turned to Aang. “Can you take Nasoki, Ty Lee, Monuk, and Sen back to Bhang Chi and continue to run things there? I’ll go with Sokka and Jet to the North Pole.”

“Why us?” Monuk glared, folding his arms. “Why can’t I go to the North Pole?”

“Because we need an intermediary between us and Utana’s agents.” Mai met his frown with a level, sturdy stare. “Sen is going to need at least a few weeks of recovery, so we can’t expect him to do that. Aang, Nasoki, and Ty Lee will be able to run things, and that way they can continue their research in the meantime.”

Aang’s eyes widened in surprise. “...thank you, Mai.”

“No need to thank me.” Mai nodded to Sokka, who grabbed their bags from Nyla’s back. “I’ll rent a boat and we’ll stop by Ember Island to get supplies for the trip. We need to get out of this town as soon as possible. You guys take Nyla and go back to Bhang Chi manor.”

Ty Lee glanced wearily up at Nyla. “I don’t think she’ll listen to us very well, Mai.”

The Governess frowned for a moment, then handed Jet over to Sokka for support. She pulled off her cloak. “Wear this,” She handed the clothing to Ty Lee. “She’s practically blind, so if you smell like me, she should respond better.”

Ty Lee nodded, and Nasoki helped Sen up onto Nyla’s back. The younger sister turned back to Mai. “Be safe.”

Sokka grabbed Aang’s hand in a shake of farewell, but as Aang began to pull away, Sokka kept his grip tight. “We’ll be back as soon as we can,” He promised. “Keep an eye out for any information about Utana, but lie low. We don’t want an attack on the district government because we got involved in her kidnapping.”

Aang nodded in understanding. Mai hoisted their bags over her shoulder and gestured with her head to Sokka. “This way,” She told him, and Sokka followed with Jet. “Let’s get a boat.”

_ o0o0o _

“When can we leave?”

Suki sighed, a knot of frustration tightening in her stomach. “I know you want to leave,” She said slowly. “So do I - believe me, I do. But until I have more information, I can’t bring you back into that district. It’s too dangerous. My priority is your safety.”

Utana huffed. “You make it sound like a chore.”

“I’m sorry,” Suki winced. “I...I’m just used to working, that’s all. But I promise you -” She turned to Utana. “I  _ chose  _ to do this. It’s not a part of my job.” Suki thought for a moment. “Yet.”

Utana didn’t seem to catch that last bit, staring off into the distance with furrowed eyebrows. “Suki,” she asked slowly. “How...how did you know how to find this place?”

Suki blinked. She was still unloading the supplies and food she had bought from the markets, and Utana sat on the steps next to her wearily.  _ It’s wearing her out, just waiting here.  _ Suki thought,  _ but what better choice do we have? _

“How did I know how to get to Ember Island?” She asked, confused.

“No,” Utana turned to her. “How did you know how to get to this mansion? It belongs to the Fire Nation royal family.”

“Oh.” Suki smiled to herself as she began making herself a snack. “We stayed here for a while when we were preparing for our last stand against the Fire Nation.”

Utana’s eyes widened. “We?”

“Yeah!” Suki met the woman’s eyes. “Me, Sokka, Aang, Katara, Zuko, and Toph.”

“You…” Utana looked away. “You know the Fire Lord?”

_ She doesn’t know, _ Suki realized, settling down next to the older woman on the steps. She offered Utana some grapes, but she declined. “Utana,” She replied gently. “I know you’re Ursa.”

Her head whipped back toward Suki, and she cringed away as if she had been slapped. “You…” She whispered, “You know? Who else knows?”

Suki clenched her jaw. “Utana, you don’t have to be afraid of the Fire Nation anymore,” she promised. 

“How do you know?” Utana repeated harshly.

Suki sighed. “You knew we were in town with Zuko, right?” The woman nodded. “Well, the next day, Jet took Zuko and Katara to personally say thank you, and they found your house...well, they saw that you were gone.” Suki popped a grape in her mouth. “Zuko saw a picture of you. Jet and the others were determined enough to find you, but Zuko was just as passionate.” She glanced up at Utana. “He thought you were dead.”

“Of course he did,” She whispered, shaking. “If I ever had contact with him again, he would have killed both of us. I couldn’t -” she stopped herself, closing her eyes and taking a deep, measured breath. “You’re right.” She finally said. “I don’t have to hide anymore. Habits are...hard to break. Especially paranoid habits.”

Suki nodded. “I understand.”

They sat in silence for a few moments before Utana continued. “Can…” She paused, hesitating. “Can you tell me about him? And his friends... _ your  _ friends?”

Suki smiled. “Absolutely.”

So, she did. They sat there until the sun reached dusk and Suki told stories and stories. Utana was horrified when Suki explained how she had first met Zuko - attacking the avatar and setting her village on fire. But Suki continued to assure her that, despite Zuko’s misguided attempts to win the affections of his father, that he had more than made up for his past.

“He…” Utana’s eyes widened. “He broke into _Boiling Rock_? That’s impossible!”  
Suki grinned. “Well, he had Sokka’s help…” She reminded her, swelling with pride. “But he came to help Sokka break his father out, and they found me there, too. We all broke out together.”

“It seems like he worked hard to atone for his mistakes.” Utana nodded in affirmation, as if congratulating Zuko. “And he did much for the Earth Kingdom colonies in the beginning, though there have been little to no reports about his political efforts in the last few years.”

“Yeah, that’s…” Suki sighed. “That’s something Zuko should explain.”

The Kyoshi Warrior continued, telling story after story after story. She felt sorry when she recounted the events of his Agni Kai with Azula (as best as she remembered the story, of course - she hadn’t been there). Utana’s face paled as Suki told her of Zuko’s sacrifice, taking lightning to the chest. She left out the details for now, and she rested her hand on Utana’s. “Katara managed to contain Azula and reached Zuko in time to heal him.” She reassured him. “The only lasting impact was a scar.”

Utana looked upward. “This...Katara girl.” she said, watching the first stars begin to blink into view. “They’re friends?”

Suki snorted, and Utana frowned. “Sorry,” Suki composed herself. “Yes, they’re...very close.”

Utana narrowed her eyes at Suki. “What?” She questioned, studying Suki’s face. “What’s so funny?”

“I…” Suki turned away. Was it bad to talk about this in front of Zuko’s mother? Many of the Kyoshi Warriors were orphans, and she wasn’t sure what was appropriate when talking to your friend’s parents. Suki decided to risk it - she had been desperate to talk about it with someone, after all. Her excitement clearly was showing. “I think they have feelings for each other,” Suki confessed, failing to keep a grin off of her face. “But nothing official has happened between them and they haven’t talked to me about it, so I’m not certain.”

Utana smiled warmly, eyes crinkling. “Do you think they would work well?”

“I think you can decide that for yourself when you see them.” Suki followed Utana’s gaze up into the night sky. “Soon.”

There was a clambering at the gate and Suki jumped up, standing in front of Utana protectively. “I can fight too, you know.” Utana reminded her, humor in her voice.

“Well, that’s a last resort.” Suki whispered, staring at the far end of the courtyard. She tensed as a few figures trudged up the walkway.

“I remember there being some supplies in here, so we can save what little money we have by raiding this place before we go to the market.”

Suki’s eyes widened. “Sokka?” she called questioningly, not wanting to believe it. 

The shadowy figures stopped, and a tentative, familiar voice replied, “...Suki?”

“Sokka!” Suki abandoned all pretense and ran toward them, and the group walked into the light just before she reached them. She threw her arms around him, burying her face into his neck. She had been more terrified than she realized.

Sokka returned the embrace but pulled away quicker than Suki wished. She immediately saw why, however, when she turned to Mai and saw someone’s arm thrown across her shoulders, leaning on her for support. “By the spirits,” Suki whispered, heart dropping into her stomach. “ _ Jet _ ?”

He looked...terrible. Worse than terrible. Suki was a tough woman and could stomach a lot of sights many others could not, but looking at Jet made her stomach roll.  _ What did they do to him?  _ She thought to herself, a wave of fear washing over her as a more selfish thought intruded her mind.  _ What would they have done to ME? _

Suki drew herself back in. Focus. She would be grateful later - right now, they needed help. “Come on,” She gestured them forward. “Let’s get him inside. I have some supplies we can use to bandage his wounds.”

As they approached the stairs, Utana gasped. She ran toward them, holding her hands out as if she wanted to grab Jet, but was afraid she would break him. “What did they do…” She whispered. “Agni save me…”

Jet opened his eyes at her voice, and they lit up slightly. He seemed to mumble something, but it was too slurred to be coherent. 

“He sustained brain damage and isn’t able to speak,” Mai kept walking, moving up the stairs slowly. “We need to grab some supplies and get back to the boat. We’re heading to the North Pole so he can see Katara.”

Utana’s eyes widened at Katara’s name, but she didn’t say anything and rushed ahead into the manor. She rummaged around in a few cupboards as they lay Jet on a couch, and she returned hurriedly with first aid supplies. Suki frowned at a vile she placed on the table with the bandages. “What’s that?” She pointed. 

“It’s a salve.” Utana had already returned to the kitchen to find a bowl, which she filled with water. “For wounds. It should help with the pain and help speed up the healing process.”

Sokka glanced down at the salve. “Is…” He paused. “Is spirit water used for this?”

“Yes, that is one of the ingredients.” Utana set the bowl next to Suki, who didn’t waste any time beginning to wash his wounds. “Why?”

“Nothing.” Sokka turned back to Jet. “We can explain later.”

“Where is everyone else?” Suki asked, still focused on cleaning and dressing Jet’s wounds. She tried to distract herself from the sheer amount of them, the gashes and bruises and split skin.

“They took Sen back to Bhang Chi and are going to keep running things there.” Mai explained, helping Suki clean Jet’s cuts. “The three of us are heading to the North Pole, like Sokka said. Thank the spirits Sokka remembered this place, or we would have never found you.”

Suki felt relief flood her body as it finally sunk in. “Utana, is our stuff ready to go?” She asked. “We need to travel with them to the North Pole. Why...why is Katara at the North Pole?”

Sokka grimaced. “The Sages executed a successful coup. They were able to rescue Azula, but they’re staying in the Northern Water Tribe under political asylum.” Utana tensed at the sound of her daughter’s name, and Suki didn’t blame her. “The whole group is there.”

“Perfect.” Suki nodded as she finished dressing the wounds on the right side of Jet’s body. He groaned, trying to sit up, but Suki pushed him back down.

“I should have never let you kids put yourselves in danger like this,” Utana stared at Jet. He looked much better now that he was cleaned up, but the bandages and bruises were still more than a sore sight. The herbalist was pale as if sick. “How could I let this happen?” She whispered to herself.

“This isn’t your fault..” Mai assured her. “We knew it might be a trap, but rescuing you was first priority.”

“But-“ Utana began. Mai cut her off.

“This isn’t just about you,” she continued, although blatantly. “We need you alive and with us because there’s something bigger happening - too many coincidences have been happening and we think many of these problems are interconnected. Part of a larger plot. We need your help - no one else has the access than you do.”

Utana stared wordlessly at Mai before nodding stiffly. Her internal struggle was visible in her eyes. Then she blinked, frowning. “...Mai?”

“Yes?”

Utana took a step forward. “By the spirits,” She whispered, “I didn’t recognize you.”

“It’s been a long time.” Mai smiled slightly in an attempt to ease the anxious woman. “We may not know you as well anymore, but we’ve been working with some of your closer allies, thanks to Jet.”

Utana’s eyes widened. “Who?”

“Monuk, Sen, Okami, and Kiyi.” Sokka recited, helping Suki clean up the rest of the bandages. Utana took a step back, eyes widening. 

“Where are they now?” She demanded. They all looked up in surprise at the shift in her tone. 

“They’re...split up.” Sokka continued hesitantly. “Monuk and our other friends took Sen back to Bhang Chi to recover, and Okami and Kiyi went with Zuko, Katara, and Toph. And Azula, now, since they rescued her from the palace. We’re going to meet them in the Northern Water Tribe.”

Utana’s eyes seemed to widen even further. Sokka, Mai, and Suki glanced at each other in confusion. “...Utana,” Suki said slowly, helping Jet sit up on the couch. “Is everything okay?”

“I...I suppose so,” She whispered. “I just didn’t want it to happen this way.”

Suki frowned, looking at the others again. Utana exchanged a knowing look with Jet, who looked solemn, and he nodded. “Kiyi…” She took a large breath. “Kiyi is my daughter.”

Mai’s eyes widened and Sokka took a step back. Suki slapped herself in the forehead. “THAT’S why she was acting so strange!” She exclaimed.

“I gave Okami orders to keep my relation to Kiyi a secret from anyone from the Fire Nation.” Utana grimaced, sitting next to Jet and gingerly putting her arm around him. He leaned into her in relief and exhaustion. “I know Okami - she’s going to take that order to her grave. But I also know Kiyi, and if she’s found out who I...who I was, she’ll want to tell them.”

“Maybe you can get there before that happens.” Sokka stood, grabbing their bags. “We only have about a day and a half left of travel, and if we get going, we can get there midday. That’s our best chance of not catching them while sleeping.”

Utana stood, helping Jet, and grabbed the sack next to her. She swung it over her shoulder. “Let’s go, then.”

As they left the Ember Island manor, none of them missed the staff Utana casually grabbed on their way out.

_ o0o0o _

Okami still barely wrapped her mind around how Azula had come from a paralytic, sedated state to practically normal. But Katara wasn’t surprised. Their healing sessions combined with the sedation drugs finally rinsing out of Azula’s system, she was returning to herself for the first time in years. 

The princess sighed, picking at her fingernails as she answered Toph’s question. Much to Okami’s horror, the Earthbender had asked ‘why Azula wasn’t mean anymore’. Whatever gave Toph the impression that a question of that sort was a good idea was lost on Okami, but thankfully, Azula seemed fine with the query. “I couldn’t do anything for a long time.” She finally said, still staring upwards. “I couldn’t move and I couldn’t speak. It felt...it felt like such distinct pain. But not physical pain. It wasn’t emotional pain, either. It was...in between. Sometimes it got so bad that I broke out of the paralysis, but all I could do was scream because the pain was...” She trailed off, eyes crinkling slightly before she looked down at her hands, which sat in her lap. “I thought I had died. Even before my body wouldn’t move, I just wanted to fall asleep and never wake up. But…” She looked up at Okami. “But Zuko still cared for me. He was still kind to me, even though I was never kind to him. He gave me food and made sure I felt safe, and when the pain would get really bad, he would come and calm me down. And I would always think about why.” She sighed, fiddling with her blanket. “I had forever to think about why - why he wanted me to feel better.” She paused, the blanket still held in her fingers, and she sat still for a moment before clenching the blanket in her fists. “I hated being like that.”

Okami looked up at Azula at her sudden shift in tone, bold and angry. “I hated being in that room all the time, I hated just laying there.” She hissed. “I hated it. I had to think  _ all the time _ . And do you know what I thought about?” She made intense eye-contact with Okami, who didn’t flinch. “All the things I had done. The things that had led me to that moment, that place where I was laying, helpless. I had done all of those things for nothing - everything I had ever done had been pointless. He LIED to me!” Azula slammed her fist down on the bed next to her, her voice rising. “He  _ lied _ to me.” She turned away, lips curling into a snarl. “I did just like he said and people still left me, they  _ left  _ me. And you know what? They SHOULD have left me. I was a shit person - everything I did was to hold onto power that, in the end, I never had in the first place. Father wanted me to turn out like him and we  _ both  _ failed, and I failed because of HIM. Because he told me what I had to do in order to be successful, and I did everything right. I always listened. And I lost everything anyway.”

“I’m sorry, Azula.” Okami sat forward. It was a good thing Ozai had been killed in prison, or Okami might just have done the job herself. “I’m glad you’re free of that now.”

“But am I?” Azula met her eyes, which shone - not with tears, but with bitterness. “I’ll never be free of the things I’ve done. I’m not like Zuko - I didn’t change my ways or have a moral awakening. I had to be imprisoned, alone, for  _ two years  _ before I even  _ began  _ to realize I was in the wrong, and I only realized it because of Zuko.” She shook her head. “I don’t know how…” she whispered, “how he can still bear to look at me. After I tried to kill his friends, even after I almost killed  _ him _ , he’s kind to me. He still cares about me.” She looked back up at Okami, whose gaze hadn’t moved.. “I tried so hard, I did exactly what father told me to do...but there was a simple answer the whole time. Why couldn’t I learn to be like THAT instead?”

“You didn’t get the chance to learn.” Okami leaned forward, grabbing Azula’s hand. A faint voice in the back of her mind warned her about the possible danger this presented, but she brushed it off. Azula clearly wasn’t a danger anymore, right? “But when you were stuck in that room with nothing to do except think, you realized these things. Now you have the chance to be better.”

Azula stared at her hand within Okami’s for a few moments before pulling away. “I don’t know how.” She laughed bitterly. “Agni, I’m barely human.”

Okami felt a wave of anger flush through her. “You’re just as human as we are, Azula.” She said firmly, eyebrows furrowing. “You just weren’t allowed to act like a human, and that’s not your fault. It was Ozai’s - you said it yourself.”

“Well, how am I supposed to learn now?” Azula huffed. “I’m, what, eighteen?”

“Don’t sweat it.” Toph assured her. “You can learn. We’ll help you. Besides, you’ve already gotten a lot better already.”

Azula nodded, but she didn’t seem convinced. She opened and closed her fists. “I’m still not used to moving.” she commented. “To talking.” She had a small, sharp intake of breath, and her eyes widened in realization. She stared at the wall as if it had spoken of revelations, and just as Okami was about to cautiously ask what had happened, Azula asked, “What did the Avatar do to my father?” 

Toph blinked. “What?”

“What did the Avat-”

“I heard you, I’m just surprised you asked.” Toph waved her off. “Aang took away dear old Ozai’s bending.”

Azula nodded, narrowing her eyes. She sat for a few moments, eyes flitting about as if she were deep in thought. She spoke again. “Do you think he could do that for me?”

Toph glanced up at Azula with a shocked expression, the slightest hint of horror flickering behind her eyes. “You want to…” She trailed off. “You want to get rid of your bending?”

Azula nodded slowly, then set her jaw and continued more decisively. “I...I don’t trust myself to stay calm if I get angry. Or upset. And if I want to learn how to be better, I can’t hurt people anymore.” She laughed humorlessly. “I may not know much about how to be a decent person, but I’ve guessed that much.” She sighed, continuing. “If I keep going this way, but without my Firebending, I can work on getting better and it won’t be as dangerous for others.”

Okami glanced at Toph, who was still staring in Azula’s direction in shock. “That sounds like a very kind idea, Azula.” Okami replied slowly. “It’s very selfless, you thinking about others' safety that way.”

Azula frowned. “Self less?”

“Selfless.” Okami repeated. “It means you were thinking about others instead of thinking about yourself. It’s a very brave and kind thing to do.”

“Oh.” Azula tapped her fingers on her knees. “So, that’s good?”

Toph nodded slowly. “Yes,” she replied. “But, Azula, are you sure? Bending is a part of who we are, getting rid of it is a big deal and-”

“I’ve been allowed to think for myself.” Azula interrupted. “Katara said I couldn’t move or talk for over two years, and now I can both think for myself  _ and  _ move for myself. I don’t need bending to feel like me. And I definitely don’t need it to feel free - I’ve never felt this free.” She stopped, contemplating something before continuing, “I don’t know if I could be the person I was, anyways.” She said softly. “I don’t think that Azula can exist without Father, and I don’t think I want to be that Azula anymore.”

“Well, you have a while to think about it before we see Aang.” Okami nodded to her. “So keep thinking about it, in case you change your mind.”

“I won’t.” Azula replied, a hint of a smile on her face. “But thanks, Okami.”

Toph crossed her arms. “How do you know you won’t change your mind?”

“Why are you so convinced that I will?” Azula shot back. Toph rolled her eyes. 

“Just answer the question, Princess.”

Azula opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. She looked away. “I just am.” She replied. “I don’t know why. I don’t...I don’t know who I am anymore. I don’t know anything anymore.” She took a deep breath before looking back up at Toph. “I  _ do  _ know one thing - I don’t want to be that person anymore.”

“You’ve changed a lot.”

They all turned to look at Katara leaning against the doorframe. “If I didn’t recognize your face, I would never guess you were the same Azula we knew four years ago.” She continued, sitting on the foot of Azula’s bed. “You’ve come a long way. You should be proud of yourself.”

Azula looked away with a huff. “Well, I’ve had four years to think since then.” She replied bitterly. “That’s all I did for the last two years, and if there’s one thing I realized, it’s that I can’t continue the way I was.” Azula sighed, leaning back against the wall. “Father told me I had no other choice - that I  _ had  _ to be that way. And look where it got me.” She laughed coldly, closing her eyes. 

“So,” Katara sat down in Okami’s vacated chair. “You think the time alone in the last few years is what helped you get better? The time and space to think?”

“No, not just that. That part comes second.” Azula said tonelessly. Okami and Katara exchanged a confused glance before she continued. “I only had that space because you stopped my father. If he had stayed, I don’t think I would have ever realized…” 

The room fell silent, and Katara looked away as if to give Azula privacy. The Princess put her face in her hands. 

“You know,” She mumbled into them, a false sense of humor lacing her words. “I don’t think I ever knew who I was. I just knew who I was  _ supposed  _ to be.” She let her hands fall to her lap, her crestfallen face staring at her lap. “And I was too afraid to be anything else.”

_ o0o0o _

Aang looked up quickly as a soft knock came from the door. He stood, setting the file on his nightstand. “Come in.”

Nasoki peaked her head inside. “Can I come in?” She asked.

Aang blinked. “I...I just said to come in?” He said, more like a question than an answer. 

Nasoki paused for a moment, nodded, and stepped into the room. She closed the door gently before making her way over to him, sitting on the foot of his bed. She stared at him expectantly, and Aang cleared his throat. “U-um,” he stammered, “Is there something that we - that you, wanted to talk about? Or ask me? About?”

“Are you doing okay?”

The question caught Aang off guard, and he stared at her for more than a reasonable amount of time. He only jumped into action when she raised her eyebrows, nodding his head vigorously. “Yes!” He said quickly. “Yes, I’m doing fine! Why do you ask?”

“You shut yourself in here ever since we found that file.” Nasoki pointed to the papers on his nightstand, and a mix of emotions flooded through Aang’s body. “I figured I should come check on you.”

“Uh...yeah.” Aang scratched the back of his head, sitting next to her on the bed. “So, um…” he cleared his throat. “How is Sen doing?”

“His fever is going down.” Nasoki sighed, falling backwards onto the blankets and staring up at the ceiling. “Monuk is watching after him. Ty Lee is running the place - she needs the distraction.”

“And you?” Aang asked.

“I’m here to check on you,” She glared at him pointedly. “Which you are purposefully avoiding by asking me questions about Sen.”

Aang looked away from her, cheeks flushing. “I just…” He took a deep breath. “I didn’t want things to be this way. Everything is going all wrong, and I feel so useless just sitting here going through papers while there’s a coup going on, and people are getting hurt, and -”

“Aang.” Nasoki sat up, laying a hand on his own. He stopped, looking down at it. “You know that’s all a load of Appa’s shit. Zuko and the others need to try and figure this out first - the Avatar card is a last resort.” 

“But I’m not  _ just  _ the Avatar!” He snapped. “I’m their  _ friend _ !” 

Nasoki sighed. “You’re right.” she said. “You are their friend, and they trust you. So put some trust in them, and respect the fact that they CHOSE to do these things without you - not just because it’s their problem, not just because they think they can handle it without you, but because they know this-” She pointed at the file, “is important. Not only to you, but to the world.”

Aang stared at the file. He didn’t have a good answer, so he didn’t try to give one. Instead, he asked a question. “Why don’t you spend more time with the other Kyoshi warriors?” 

Nasoki frowned. “What do you mean? I’ve lived with them for years, they’re practically my sisters.”

“I mean, here. Now.”

“Because I want to get to know you.”

Aang turned to look at her and she met his eyes steadily. “I already know them,” She shrugged. “So why would I waste this opportunity?” She squeezed his hand, and Aang broke their eye contact to look down at their hands again before squeezing it back. “Aang.” His eyes returned to hers. “Promise me,” She continued seriously, “That you’ll always treat me as an equal.”

Aang blinked. “What? Of course I’ll -”

“Not like that.” Nasoki pulled her hand away, and Aang felt as if a blanket had been yanked away from him in a frigid night. “You’re the Avatar, and I’m a non-bender. I know it might be...natural for you to think of others as people you need to protect. But I want you to  _ promise  _ me that you won’t pity me like that.” 

Aang’s hand still sat between them where Nasoki had left it. “It’s...it’s not like that,” He protested. “It’s not pity, it’s-”

“I’m NOT your responsibility, Aang.”

The Avatar pulled back, blinking in surprise at the sudden bite to Nasoki’s tone. He opened his mouth to reply, or ask what was wrong, or just...say  _ something _ , but no words came out. Nasoki seemed to realize what she had done and the intensity in her face fell as she turned away. “Nasoki,” he finally managed. “What-”

“A few years ago, someone I loved very much died.”

Aang immediately tensed at the sudden trembling in Nasoki’s voice. She still faced away from him. “Her name was Jali. We had been dating for over a year, and I loved her more than anything.” Nasoki didn’t turn to face Aang, but she did look down at her lap. “She traveled with the Kyoshi Warriors a lot. She was an Earthbender, so she couldn’t join our group. But she could fight just as well as we could, even without her Earthbending. And she was smart - like Sokka, but actually funny, you know? Not puns - real wit and humor. She cared so much about people.”

Nasoki’s hands clenched into fists at her sides, and before Aang thought about what he was doing, he had reached out and grasped the one closest to him. She tensed momentarily before opening her hand to hold his. “She saved me,” Nasoki whispered, eyes haunted. “From a tribe of bandits. They were firebenders, and Jali and I had split from the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors to return an important object to its owner. We had just finished the job as a whole group, but there was a lot of collateral damage, so the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors stayed behind to clean things up while Jali and I returned the subject. It should have gone smoothly - we had eliminated the threat. But the bandits showed up and there were too many of them, and I wanted to stay and fight them off, but Jali insisted I go on. She…” Nasoki took a shaky breath. Then another. One more. “She unhooked a cart from a nearby ostrich-horse and shoved me in it with the object and pushed me down the hill. I couldn’t get out, it was going too fast. I got to the bottom of the hill, it was such a big hill, and by the time I got back to the top she had leveled everything. Everyone was dead.” Nasoki’s hands trembled. “Everyone…” She whispered, “Everyone was dead…”

“Nasoki, I’m…” Aang trailed off. Agni, what was he supposed to say. “I’m so sorry, I-”

“Don’t you see?” Nasoki pushed him away as she turned to him, eyes blazing. Aang fell back. “I don’t need protecting! If I die, then I die! I don’t want anyone to die for me! I can’t keep loving people and losing them because they don’t believe in me!”

Aang stared at her, repeating her words in his head. His slow reaction gave her enough time for her own words to catch up to her, and Nasoki straightened up, paling. “I…” She stood up quickly. “I’m sorry, I have to go, I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight.” 

It was only when the door was closing behind her that Aang’s eyes finally widened with realization.

_...Oh. _

He leapt up, reaching toward the door as if to call her back. He could still feel the phantom grip of her hand around his as he lowered it back to his side.

_...Oh, Agni. _

_ o0o0o _

“What are we going to tell them?”

“Um, the truth?” Zuko snorted, wiping his hands on a towel. The ropes of the ship were...not clean, to put it lightly. “What are  _ you  _ going to tell them? You have to tell Okami something.”

Kiyi rolled her eyes. “I’ll tell her the truth,” She sniffed. “And she probably won’t believe me. I mean, who would?”

“Aang will,” Zuko chuckled, sitting down next to her. “He and I did that together when he was about your age.”

“But…” Kiyi shook her head. “I still can’t believe there are dragons still alive.”

Zuko grinned at her. “I knew you’d love to see them!” He boasted. “You can barely put down that dragon book of yours!”

“Yeah, well,” Kiyi sighed, putting the encyclopedia in her bag. “It doesn’t compare to the real thing.” She tied the bag closed before meeting her brother’s eyes. “Thank you, Zuko,” She finally said. “This was really cool. No wonder you know so much about firebending.”

“ _ We _ .” Zuko corrected, punching her playfully in the shoulder. “No wonder  _ we  _ know so much about firebending.”

Katara answered the door when they finally found the right stone establishment. It wasn’t their fault everything looked the same! Everywhere they looked was snow and stone, it was practically impossible to remember which way you had come from. Thankfully, it had only taken eleven tries to find their temporary abode. 

“Zuko!” Katara threw her arms around him immediately, startling him. “I’m so glad you’re back! There’s so much that happened while you were away!” 

Kiyi pushed them inside and closed the door behind them, setting her bag on the counter. Zuko did the same after returning Katara’s hug, resting his bag gently next to Kiyi’s. “What’s going on?” He asked, looking up at the rest of the room. He stopped short, eyes widening as another figure stood up. 

Azula stared at him with equal shock, and neither of them seemed able to move or speak. Finally a cough from the corner of the room broke Zuko out of his stupor, and he stammered, “A-Azula! Agni, you look so much better! How are you feeling?”

She didn’t move. She didn’t answer either. Her tense posture didn’t crack - her shocked, almost scared expression was frozen on her face. Just as Zuko was about to ask her another question, however, she leapt forward. Zuko held his hands up and closed his eyes, wincing, and Kiyi gasped in horror. Zuko stumbled back as she threw her arms around him and buried her face into his neck. 

Zuko looked at Katara, dumbfounded, and she simply beamed at him. Zuko slowly wrapped his arms around Azula before fully realizing the situation, and he held her closely, as if afraid she would melt away. 

“Do you think he would look that happy if I ran up and tackled him like that?”

Zuko huffed, pulling away from Azula to stare at Sokka. “If you want a hug, just say you want a hug, you little-” Zuko stopped short, his eyes bugging out of his skull. “SOKKA? What are you doing here?”

Sokka shrugged. “I’m just chilling.”

“Suki!” A voice called from a neighboring room. “I need some clean bandages, could you bring them to me, I think they’re with my things!”

Zuko’s mouth fell open wider and he turned to Toph, who was snickering in the nearest corner. “Is  _ everyone  _ here?”

Katara resisted a smile. “Not quite…”

“Suki?” The voice grew louder, and everyone turned as an older woman walked into the room. “Jet’s starting to speak and he keeps mumbling about pain from the cuts in his side, we need to redress those wounds and clean the -”

Zuko felt as if he weighed nothing, and when he made eye contact with his mother, she froze in place as well. “Zuko…” She whispered. Her eyes welled with tears, and she stepped toward him, as if she couldn’t believe it. “Agni…” She reached for him, and Zuko blinked as she reached for his face, sliding her hand down his scar and resting her fingers on his cheek. “Zuko, I am so sorry…”

He threw his arms around her, and she hugged him back with just as much ferocity. “It’s okay,” he laughed, tears staining her shirt. “Everything is okay…”

The reunion was tearful, and after a few minutes, they finally pulled away. Their timing was perfect, as Suki walked into the room. “I heard you yelling for me?” She held out some bandages. “Sorry, I was in the bathroom, I didn’t - oh, hi Zuko! Great to see you! You too, Kiyi! Anyways, here’s the bandages you were asking for.”

“Thank you, Suki.” Utana smiled warmly, her hands still resting on her son’s shoulders. She finally stepped back from him, taking a deep breath.

Toph whistled. “This has been quite a show!” She applauded mockingly, and Utana laughed, though Zuko glared at the earthbender. “Though, I think we’re missing something…”

“Well, I think we’re almost out of surprises. What do you two have to tell us?”

Zuko was almost caught off guard by Mai speaking from the opposite corner of the room, shrouded in shadow, but he wouldn’t be surprised if the majority of his friends were packed in the building at this point. “Well,” Kiyi began excitedly, running over to their bags and gently picking up Zuko’s. “There  _ IS  _ something, but I’m not allowed to tell you, Zuko made me promise that he could tell everyone because it’s his and not mine.”

“Shh!” Zuko hissed. Kiyi rolled her eyes as she handed him the bag, which he took gingerly. The others exchanged questioning glances, shrugging. Katara and Utana stepped back so that the others could see as Zuko untied the bag, taking a breath, and reached inside. “Kiyi, can you pull the bag away?” He asked softly. His sister eagerly reached over and grabbed the bottom of the bag, pulling it away, empty, and leaving it’s contents in Zuko’s hands. 

An eerie, metallic orb shimmered in Zuko’s arms. It was larger than his head, and he held it firmly, as it was not light. Everyone’s eyes widened. The room was silent and gold almost glowed in his hands.

“What…” Sokka whispered, “What  _ is  _ that?”

Zuko beamed, looking down at the mesmerizing globe with pride. “This,” he explained, a fire lit behind his eyes, “is a dragon egg.” 


	16. As the Sun Falls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko and his sisters have a talk with their mother. The rest of the group catch up a bit before being caught off guard by an attack. Saiko, crazed, has rallied the sages and some soldiers. They've entered the Northern Water Tribe and are preparing to eliminate all threats to their future plans. They've faced worse - they're used to fighting against the Fire Nation. What could possibly go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I hope this chapter seemed to come faster, but I'm going to be honest and say that I've lost my sense of time.  
> We're about at the climax of the fic! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and don't hate me at the end...just keep in mind that there's still a few chapters after this and that I always have a plan ;)
> 
> Love you all!  
> \- Aleviah

“You’re joking.”

Everyone crowded around Zuko, who set the egg down gently on the table. Toph stared at him, arms folded. “I don’t believe you.” She added.

Zuko rolled his eyes, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the table. “Here, feel it.” Zuko laid her hand on the egg and watched with satisfaction as her eyes widened. She stood there in shock for a few seconds.

“I can…I can feel its heartbeat…” Toph whispered, putting her other hand on the egg as well. “This is a  _ dragon _ ?”

“Isn’t it cool!” Kiyi pulled away from her mother, who she had been embracing. “They said the egg would hatch in a few weeks.”

“That’s amazing…” Katara put her hand on the egg as well, marvelling. Zuko smiled softly at her as she stared in wonder at the golden orb.

Zuko blinked, looking around toward Azula. “I’m so glad you’re feeling better,” He told her earnestly. “And I’m glad you got to see Mom!”

Utana smiled warmly at Azula, who hesitated a bit before smiling back. Utana sighed. “Could the three of you come with me? I’d love to speak to you in private.”

Zuko nodded, and though Azula looked confused, she followed Zuko and Utana into a nearby room. Kiyi trailed behind them apprehensively.

Katara nodded to herself, grabbing a bowl of water she had been preparing before Zuko and Kiyi returned. “Now that Utana isn’t fussing over him, I’m going to go try and help Jet some more. Toph,” The earthbender looked up from the egg, which she still held in reverence. “Don’t let anything happen to that egg. Sokka, for Agni’s sake, stop eating all the cheese, you’re going to get sick.”

Sokka glared at his sister as she left the room, and Suki sighed, sitting down next to Okami.Suki glanced over at the woman, who’s eyes were fixed lazily on the door where Utana and her children had gone. Mai sighed loudly, pushing off from against the wall and grabbing her small bag of supplies. “Alright, tell everyone I said goodbye.” She waved her hand impassively. “I’m heading back to Bhang Chi.”

Suki and Sokka both stood up quickly. “What?” 

“You heard me.” Mai snapped. “I have a job to do - I have a district to govern, and it happens to be the most unstable district in the Fire Nation. A nation that just so happens to be experiencing a coup. They  _ need  _ me there.”

“But, Mai,” Sokka protested. “What if they found out you were helping Zuko?”

“Nonsense.” Mai scoffed, opening the door. “I can take care of myself, and that includes talking my way out of whatever situations they try and throw at me.” She threw a glance over her shoulder at Suki. “Look after Jet. And Azula.”

She walked out into the cold, snow-covered city, and the rest of the room simply stared at the door as it closed.

An awkward silence hung over the remaining people in the room, only being broken when Katara walked out of Jet’s room, dumping the bowl of water into the sink and plopping down onto the chair next to Sokka with a sigh. “So, Suki,” She asked, drying her hands on Sokka’s shoulder. “Jet tells me that you saved Utana from lightning...care to tell us how?”

Sokka went from swatting at his sister to staring at Suki with wide eyes. “You did  _ what? _ ” he gasped. Suki huffed.

“It wasn’t that big of a deal.” She shrugged, leaning back in her chair.

Okami raised her eyebrows. “I mean, it kinda sounds like you saved her life.”

“Okay, maybe, but it wasn’t anything spectacular or anything.”

“Just tell us!” Katara begged, eyes flashing with interest. Suki could tell there was a darker motivation behind her eyes, but for the time being, decided to proceed.

Suki reached across the table and grabbed one of her fans, earning three confused expressions staring back at her. “Kyoshi fans are metal.” She explained, opening the fan with a loud  _ SHHWIINNGG _ . It was metal on metal, like a dozen swords being unsheathed at once, combined with the flapping sound of an elegant fan of cloth. “That’s how they’re able to block attacks,” Suki explained, enjoying Sokka’s goggling eyes as she fanned her face. “And cut people, if necessary. Though we have katanas for a reason.”

Katara frowned. “What does this have to do with -”

“Hey, you’re the one making me do this, so at least let me  _ enjoy  _ telling the story?” Suki gave her a side eye, barely holding back a smirk. Katara rolled her eyes but nodded for Suki to continue. “I appreciate it, thank you, Katara. As I was saying - our fans are metal. They have been since the founding of the Kyoshi Warriors, as the fans of Kyoshi herself were made of metal.” Suki sighed, becoming more solemn. “It was during Kyoshi’s time that bending lightning was discovered,” Suki folded the fan shut, and the sound was just as satisfying as when she had opened it. “When she fought against a lightning bender, the energy was attracted to her fans, and because of this, the lightning went up her hands and forearms.” Katara gasped, throwing a hand over her mouth. Okami simply nodded as if she were impressed. “Kyoshi wore gloves after that.” Suki smiled, glancing over at the gloves of her own uniform laying on the table. “To hide her scars.”

After Suki had stopped for an awkwardly long time, Katara waved her hand. “Well?” She asked. “Aren’t you going to tell us how you saved Utana?”

“Oh, sorry, I thought it was obvious.” Suki realized, chuckling to herself, that not everyone had grown up with this common knowledge as she had. “I knew that metal attracts lightning, so I threw my fan in front of Utana, between her and the lightning, and the energy latched onto the fan and followed it across the room.”

“This is good to know.”

They all turned around, having forgotten about Toph sitting in the corner of the room cradling Zuko’s egg. “Metal attracts lightning,” She mused, seeming more content than usual. “That sounds like something I could take advantage of, doesn’t it?"

“Thats…” Okami frowned, eyes flickering back and forth as if in deep thought. “Throwing your fan to catch the lightning, that’s actually pretty smart.”

Suki smiled. “You sound surprised.”

“That’s my girl!” Sokka punched the air, grinning like an idiot.

Katara grabbed his arm and yanked it back down. “Sokka, she is a  _ woman _ .”

Suki laughed as the siblings bickered, and for the first time since she had reunited with her friends, it didn’t seem like the world was crashing down. She wanted to treasure this.

A strange sound caused them all to look at the front door. The handle, which was locked from the inside, was jiggling harshly. Someone was clearly trying to force their way in. Suki’s blood ran cold as bangs began to echo off of the door.

Real life was knocking.

_ O0o0o _

Zuko sat between Kiyi and Azula awkwardly, feeling like a child about to be scolded. His mother looked between them absolutely swelling with pride before she slowly deflated into defeat and exhaustion. “I’m sorry.”

Kiyi frowned. “What?”

“I’m sorry.” Utana whispered, grabbing Azula’s hands. Zuko glanced to the side, noting that Azula didn’t pull away (although that had been her first instinct) and simply stared back at their mother with an unreadable expression. “I’m sorry that I left you there, I’m so sorry…” She pulled a hand away from Azula to touch Zuko’s face, brushing his scar, tears welling in her eyes. “I should have tried harder,” She whispered. “Your father, he was after the throne, and he was going to kill you, Zuko.” Zuko felt a jolt of fear for his past self, but any surprise or betrayal had since left him in regards to the selfish brutality of his father. “If he killed you, Azulon would have given him the throne. But I made a deal with him - I made him a poison that killed Azulon to spare your life, but I had to leave the Fire Nation, never to see the two of you again. And if I caused any trouble, he would…you…” She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before continuing. “I’m sorry I didn’t do more, and I’m sorry that I wasn’t a good mother to you while I was there.” She squeezed Azula’s hand. “I know I was struggling - we all were - but it was my job to be there for my children, and I failed you. Azula, look at me.”

Azula lifted her eyes, and Utana cradled her face in her hands. “I  _ love  _ you.” She whispered. “I always will, and I always have. And I’m so,  _ so  _ sorry that I failed you, that you’ve lived all these years thinking that I hated you or that I didn’t care. I’m SO sorry.”

Azula closed her eyes, silent for a few moments before nodding. “Thank you.” She said tonelessly. Utana gazed into her face with soft, heartbroken eyes before turning to Zuko. “I’m sorry for causing you so much grief, Zuko.” She lay her hand over his. “And I’m sorry that I didn’t come out of hiding when Ozai was executed. My paranoia had gotten the better of me, and it was foolish for me to think that I wasn’t safe with my own son.”

“But you weren’t safe at the palace, mom.” Zuko reminded her. “None of us were. I was never truly in charge - the Sages have had their hands on everything. They overrode my decision and executed Father despite my wishes to keep him alive.”

Utana studied him closely. “About that…” she pulled away from him, fiddling with her hands in her lap. “...why did you want to spare his life? I’m not saying I think you were wrong,” She added quickly. “It’s not that, I’m just...surprised.”

Zuko sighed. “I didn’t.” He replied honestly. “But it mattered a lot to Aang, and after all he had done for me, it was the least I could do.”

Utana nodded silently and they simply sat there, awkwardly basking in each other’s presence. Azula tugged on Zuko’s shirt and leaned over, and Zuko fought back his fight-or-flight instincts as he allowed her to whisper in his ear. “Who’s the kid?”

“Oh, right.” Zuko wanted to smack himself in the forehead. “Azula, this is Kiyi. She’s, um…” he glanced over at his mother, who smiled warmly and nodded. “She’s our sister. Our half-sister.”

Azula was stoic for a few moments before her eyes widened. “Sister?” She blinked. “A...a sister…”

Kiyi seemed as if she were going to burst, and she practically did, leaping to her feat. “I’m so excited to finally get to talk to you!” She blurted out, causing Azula even more confusion. “I didn’t have any siblings, and now I have two! And Zuko is okay and everything but a sister is  _ sooo _ cool! And-”

“I’m not…” Azula interrupted her, hesitating. “I’m not exactly a person who…I’m not a good…” She struggled to find the right words. Kiyi’s face well, and Utana placed her hand on the youngest’s shoulder.

“Kiyi, Azula is working through a lot right now. Give her time.” She said softly. Kiyi stared dully at the princess before nodding, turning to exit the room. “Wait, Kiyi-” Kiyi turned to look at her mother. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth about my past...about our family.” Utana continued, her tone growing softer. “I promise - to all of you - that I won’t keep any secrets like that again. And I won’t ever leave you like that again, either.”

Kiyi nodded, smiling gently before turning back to open the door. She nearly got her head bashed in as the door swung into the room, revealing Sokka, who was in a panic.

Zuko immediately stood. “What’s going on?”

“Mai was about to leave and go back to Bhang Chi but when she got -”

“Mai was going back to Bhang Chi?”

“That’s not important, Zuko!”

“Then why did you say it?”

Sokka waved him off, his entire body jittering nervously. “She got to the docks and - Zuko - they’re here.”

The Fire Lord grit his teeth, dread rising in his stomach like bile. “Who.” He asked, fearing that he already knew the answer. 

“The Fire Nation. I mean - the Fire Sages. And some soldiers.”

Zuko cursed, earning him a disapproving look from his mother. He pushed back Sokka and made his way into the other room. “Toph!” He called to the other side of the room, where the Earthbender was gently setting down the dragon egg. “Can you stay here and protect my family, Jet, and the egg?”

Toph grumbled. “That’s boring!” She complained, but she sat back down anyway.

“Well, it’s important, and I need my best on it.” Zuko walked over and grabbed his swords, throwing the sheath over his back. “Did the others already go out?”

“Yeah, you should hurry.”

“Okay, I’ll.”

“Zuko.”

He turned at the sternness of his mother’s voice and she stood, arms folded. “I am not staying here.” she snapped, walking over to the corner and grabbing what seemed to be a rather long broom handle. “I can take care of myself.”

“Me too!” Kiyi said, stepping forward. “You just took me to that island to learn more about firebending, what’s the point in all that if you don’t let me fight when it matters the most?”

Zuko scowled. “If either one of you gets hurt at all, you come back here and you  _ stay  _ here.” He compromised, opening the door. Azula stood frozen as they all rushed out of the shelter, the door shutting behind them with a clasp.

Toph sniffed. “You’re not going with them, then?”

Azula sat down slowly. “I’m not going to use my bending.” she whispered.

“You seem pretty determined to get rid of it.”

Azula glanced over at the short earthbender. “The avatar wouldn’t have this ability if it wasn’t supposed to be used,” she replied, hugging herself. “If I want a fresh start, I can’t...I can’t have the temptations of power that I did before.”

“Azula…” Toph shifted to face her. “Have you ever thought about the fact that you’ve changed? A lot? I don’t think using your powers would undo the years that you spent processing your life, the journey you’ve had in your own mind to lead you to this point. You said so yourself - before, you had given into the temptations of power, just like your father wanted.” Toph shrugged. “Now, your father isn’t here. You know those temptations aren’t good, and now you know what it’s like to feel powerless. Don’t you think that changes things?”

Azula stared at the dragon egg, biting the inside of her cheek. “Maybe.” she admitted, bringing her feet up onto the chair and wrapping her arms around her knees. “But I can’t seem to separate my firebending from who I was. I  _ was  _ firebending, and that was the only part of me that mattered. Doing it again feels  _ wrong _ .”

Toph nodded, thinking to herself. “You know, I think that makes more sense than thinking you’re a danger to society.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re not a danger to anyone,” Toph crossed her arms. “Not anymore. But if bending is hard for you because of your past, I think it’s totally reasonable for you to get rid of it.”

Azula squinted at Toph. “...you changed your mind about that very quickly.”

“I have one philosophy about life, princess.” Toph leaned forward. “Live it while it’s still there. What’s the point of having bending if you don’t love it? That’s the reason Aang’s ability is so terrifying - bending is usually a part of people, something that they cherish and love. But you don’t have that because bending isn’t a part of who you are...trying to become. And if you’re trying to find out who you are without your father, it makes sense that you wouldn’t want to continue bending, since that was his ultimate goal for you.” Toph’s voice softened ever so slightly. “It matters more that you’re happy.”

Azula thought for a moment, trying to ignore the faint commotion outside. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She finally relented, sitting more properly in her chair. “That was dramatic as fuck, though.” She added. “I haven’t known you for very long but if I didn’t know any better, I’d say that you’ve gone soft.”

Toph scoffed. “Thanks.”

‘That wasn’t a compliment.”

“I know, princess, I’m not stupid. It was sarcasm.”

“Oh, right.” Azula let out a puff of laughter. “Well, I suppose I haven’t had a lot of time to engage with sarcasm in the last four years.”

Toph resisted the urge to smile. “Well, you better pay me beforehand, because I don’t give lessons for free.”

_ o0o0o _

Zuko ran up beside Katara, who was scowling toward the deck of the large ship, which was docking. The Water Tribe was evacuating to the shelters. This wasn’t their fight, after all. Zuko followed Katara’s gaze over to Saiko, and he immediately growled, bending his knees and spreading his feet, preparing for a fight. 

The old sage simply smiled, raising his arms innocently as he exited the ship. “Hello, my dear friend!” He called.

“Cut the bullshit, Saiko.” Zuko snapped. “What are you after?  _ Other  _ than my throne?”

The weasley man just laughed. “Oh, dear boy, you have no idea the extent of what you’re dealing with.”

“Then enlighten me.”

Saiko sneered, his eyes flickering behind Zuko to Utana, who bared her teeth. “Ursa,” He said in a soft, dangerous tone. “I was wondering when I would see you again.”

“That’s not my name anymore.” Utana snarled, holding up her staff. “And you need to answer my son.”

Saiko’s face fell into a scowl. “You should be grateful to the Sages that you’re even alive, woman.” He jeered. Utana tried to hold back the shock from her face but failed. “If it weren’t for your little  _ business _ , we wouldn’t have kept Ozai out of the loop about your...betrayal...of the agreement.”

Utana lowered her staff slowly. “What are you after.” She asked in a commanding tone. 

“Why, Ursa,” Saiko spread his arms wide. “We’re after your services, of course!”

Zuko stepped in between them, eyes flashing. “Excuse me?” 

“I’m sure you are aware, Zuko, that trade with the Northern Water Tribe relies heavily on the Earth Kingdoms.”

“Yeah, Saiko, I’m not stupid. Get to the point.”

“Well, ever since you took the throne and gave back the territories your ancestors worked so terribly hard to obtain, you’ve crippled certain parts of the industry your mother works in.”

Zuko glanced back at Utana, who was still scowling. Saiko continued. “Now, this didn’t impact dear Ursa, since she runs a restricted business. Some of the more  _ moral minded  _ nobles prefer her services because of this. You see, Zuko,” He leaned forward, a wicked grin across his face. “Your mother runs things in a way that’s FAIR. She doesn’t make deadly poisons, she makes an incredible amount of health brews, and she doesn’t deal with partners of...questionable business practices.”

Utana stepped forward, teeth bared. “What he’s saying is that I don’t traffic  _ people _ .” Her voice dripped with discontent. “We rescue the girls they steal, give them a safe place to go. Help them get back on their feet. We make business deals with certain nobles and healing centers that allow brew prices to be lower for the care of the people. We work with the nobles to do the same with market owners, making the brews more accessible to average citizens. We-”

“I think the boy gets the idea, Ursa.” Saiko interrupted in annoyance. “You’ve created a lovely humanitarian business.”

“If you claim to know so much, Saiko,” Utana stepped forward again, her hand gripping the staff. “Then you  _ know  _ I didn’t start this. I inherited it. Just because you surround yourself with fellow despicable people doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of good people left in the world.”

“For Agni’s sake, woman, I already have to listen to your son and his idiotic ramblings.” Saiko rubbed his temples. “Spare me the-”

Utana growled, and Zuko felt anger rising in his chest. “Get to the damn point, Saiko.”

The old man chuckled, which infuriated Zuko even further. “The point, my dear boy, is that the higher-ups rely very much upon the products that your mother and her competitors sell. And in order to create those products, they need spirit water. And in order to get spirit water, they need trade through the Earth Kingdoms.”

Zuko folded his arms. “And why do people  _ need  _ those products?”

“To stay healthy, young, and agile.” Saiko said as if it were obvious. “To protect from illness, disease, and heal conditions that otherwise were irreversible. To save lives.”

“Nobles don’t deserve any more access than the poorest of our people.” Zuko snapped. “It was you and the council that have repeatedly denied my demands for healthcare across the Fire Nation, and now you’re staging a coup because you don’t have enough access to illegal brews?”

Utana scoffed. “It’s their own fault they don’t have access.” She sneered humorlessly. “Business has been booming for us after Zuko began the reparations because we treated Earth Kingdom citizens with basic human respect. If they cared at all about other people, they wouldn’t be in this situation! But it’s all about their access, and when they suddenly don’t have a product anymore, they -”

“We don’t have enough access to anything!” Saiko replied, his tone biting. “The people of the Earth Kingdoms are rarely dealing with us anymore, and needs aren’t being met!”

“Needs or wants?”

“They have no right to deny us!”

“Actually people have every right to deny you when you’re an ugly ballsack who never helped someone a day in his life.” Zuko knew it was unprofessional but MAN did it feel good. “I hope you don’t represent most of the Fire Nation nobles because I would hate for so many adults to be so damn childish.”

Saiko’s eyes flashed. “You don’t know how hard people have worked to be where they are, boy,” He hissed. “You don’t know the things they’ve earned that got taken away when you took that throne. Within a week of your coronation you had stolen millions of yuan worth of land from Fire Nation nobles to give to Earth Kingdom peasants.”

“I didn’t steal their money.” Zuko snarled. “I gave back what our nation stole.”

“And we continue to pay them?”

“Yes!” Zuko shouted, throwing his hands up. “We took their land, many of their people, burned down their villages, killed them, forcefully ruled over them and oppressed them! The very least we can do is give back what we stole and provide some monetary reparations!”

“You have no idea how to lead this nation, boy.” Saiko’s voice was lower now, and Zuko could feel a fight getting closer. “To be a leader you have to be  _ strong _ . Not kind. Kindness makes you weak - you overlook what is necessary in favor of your emotions.”

Zuko’s hands formed into fists at his side. “YOU overlook the lives of people across the world!” He was practically shouting now. “You just want to go back to the way things were under my father, under my grandfather, but I  _ won’t  _ allow it! Not only did we harm all of the other nations in irreversible and unforgivable ways, but we oppressed our own people! We brainwashed them and let them starve on the streets! We taught them to be slaves for the rich while never providing them with aid!”

Zuko felt a hand on his shoulder, and he nearly turned around to punch whoever it was, he was so tense, somehow he knew it was Katara. And he was right. She wasn’t looking at him with concern or pity...instead she glared up at the Sage with her blazing blue eyes.

“Have you come here to fight?”

The question was simple, and Saiko turned to Katara with raised eyebrows as if surprised she had dared to speak. He recognized her and his frown of confusion twisted into a sneer. “Ambassador Katara,” he said with discontempt. “A pleasure to see you again. I must remind you that I do not answer to you.”

“You’re right.” Katara removed her hand from Zuko’s shoulder. “You answer to Zuko.”

“I answer to no one.”

“Why are you here, Saiko?” Zuko demanded. “I’m tired of these games.”

The old man’s eyes seemed to gleam. “We are here to remove you from your position.” He replied. “Permanently.”

Utana snarled, stepping forward with her staff held at the ready. Zuko felt a jolt in his chest but kept his level glare at Saiko. “You’re not telling me everything.” He snapped. “There’s more to this.”

“I’ll tell you what it is, Zuko.” Utana seethed. “You’ve successfully restricted trade through the Earth Kingdoms from those who didn’t show respect to the people of that land. As a result, the sages and most of the nobles are no longer getting their  _ luxuries _ .”

Saiko tensed. “You ought to-”

“They lost their supply of brews,” Utana continued. “Brews that healed them or prevented conditions from spreading, suppressed physical effects of aging, counteracted the symptoms of different conditions, some made them feel euphoric. Others made it easy for them to solve their problems without a trace. They lost access to their concubines and other trafficked women and girls, as well as illegal slaves. Their businesses are crashing because of their reliance on that slave labor. Many of them owned brothels that have lost their supply of women. The enemies they’ve made who have been too afraid to take action are beginning to realize they no longer have the money or the resources to be as dangerous, and they’re fearing for their lives. They-”

“That’s enough!” Saiko roared, sparks flying from his fingertips. Zuko’s stomach churned as he looked at the old man. He had been sitting in a room full of these men for years - men who were nothing but filth. No, they were worse than filth. Zuko felt as if his time in their presence had stained him forever.

“So, you’ve come here to kill me.” Zuko said simply. “And, most likely, as many of my allies as possible. Because you want to retain control and revert back to your comfortable lifestyle.”

The other sages, who had been looking on from the docks behind Saiko, began whispering to each other nervously. Saiko shot a glare at them before turning back to Zuko. “Sure,” he replied smoothly, “If you’d like to simplify it.”

Zuko nodded. “Then let me simplify something else for you.” He leaned forward slightly, eyes flashing. “You will not succeed. You will not leave here with any power or freedom. And if you harm anyone - anyone at all - you won’t leave here alive.”

No one spoke. Zuko had managed to buy the citizens enough time to evacuate into their stone shelters, like the ones they had been living in. Apparently they had many of them for situations like this. Hopefully they would stay safe.

Saiko stood to his fullest height, sighing as he pulled his hands out from within his robes. “And so it begins.”

_ o0o0o _

Azula felt the lightning before she saw it. And they all saw it - the blue jet of light streaking across the open water. Toph had formed a window in the stone of their shelter, and Azula was watching the battle carefully. She felt her heart begin to thunder at the lightning, making the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stand up. She could feel that it was coming before she had seen it, and then she had heard it. Then she had smelled it. 

Toph had stood up, placing her hand protectively on the egg next to her on the table. “Who did it hit?” She asked, an unfamiliar edge of anxiety to her voice.

“I don’t know.” Azula replied, equally worried. 

“Hopefully Zuko redirected it.” Toph turned back to sit down. “It won’t do us any good to worry until we have more information.”

Azula nodded, but stayed near the window. Zuko’s friends had managed to restrain many of the other sages and soldiers, but a few remained, including Saiko. The man was a powerful firebender and wielded lightning much like Azula had when she was...younger.

Azula’s eyes widened in horror as two figures came around the corner of a building. Kiyi was holding Utana up, and her mother was limping, holding her lower side in what was clearly extreme pain. Smoke curled off of her clothes, which were damp with blood, and they were stumbling quickly toward the bridge.

_ Zuko told them to come back to the shelter if they got hurt, _ Azula realized, her hand flying up to her mouth.  _ They’re coming back HERE. _

Frozen in shock, Azula almost didn’t notice the figure chasing them from behind. The movement caught her eye and she stumbled back as she realized that the head sage, Saiko, was chasing after them, twisting lightning around his fingers.

“NO!” Azula screamed frantically. She threw open the door and sprinted down the side of the canal, skidding around the corner and onto the bridge. Her mother and Kiyi had just made it onto the other side, and Kiyi locked eyes with Azula, panic stricken. “Keep going!” Azula shouted, gesturing toward the shelter. “Toph will protect you! GO!”

Kiyi nodded and helped their mother forward. Utana resisted. “Azula…” She croaked, reaching out to her oldest daughter. “Don’t...he…”

Kiyi pulled her away just as Azula turned to face Saiko. He was grinning from ear to ear, a strange, unsettling spark in his gaze. It wasn’t the good kind of light in someone’s eyes...this kind was bad. Very bad.

Azula felt it again - the lightning. She felt her heartbeat in every part of her body, thundering faster and faster, and she began breathing harder and harder, because what was she supposed to do? Was she supposed to use her...did she need to…

Was she going to have to fight?

“Looks like you’ve got yourself in a bit of a pickle, Princess Azula.” Saiko jeered, playing with the lightning as if it were trivial. “You aren’t quite ready to fight, are you? I’m surprised you’re out of bed so soon.”

Only one thing was keeping Azula from panicking - desperation. Desperation to somehow make up for all she’d done, to fix the past and take back all of the pain she had caused. She was so frantic to be better that she forced herself to stay even though every fiber of her being was screaming at her to run, get away, go hide so that no one can find you. 

The very least she could do was buy them some time.

Azula felt bile rising in her throat as she fell into a bending stance, trying miserably to hide her pain from Saiko. Her vision swam with tears that burned her eyes and she blinked them away. She could see now, but the streaks that ran down her face were so hot they felt cold. 

Saiko scoffed. “You’re useless. Pathetic.”

Azula was paralyzed as she heard the words in her father's voice. But no...he was dead. They had sworn to her that he was dead, and Saiko was turning to look behind Azula - to where Kiyi and Utana were scrambling along the edge of the canal, only a little ways to reach the shelter - only a couple dozen meters…

Saiko sneered at Azula before pulling the lighting back, getting ready to throw it. Azula rushed into his path in desperation, still partially in a bending stance. Saiko laughed. “I almost feel sorry for you,” He jeered. His fingers pointed to Azula, steadying his aim, and orange flame flickered frantically in her hands.

She nearly lost consciousness and the fire puffed out immediately. She had barely looked back up at Saiko in time to see him move to strike, and she immediately closed her eyes and cringed away.

But a shadow fell over the cool glow of the lightning, and Azula’s eyes opened in surprised. And then that surprise turned to terror. And then time slowed down to a crawl.

Katara didn’t see when it happened, but she heard Azula’s scream. It wasn’t like the ones she had heard during the Agni Kai - this one was full of pain and desperation.

This scream was far, far more terrifying.

Katara swept a man into the canal and sprinted around the corner, skidding to a halt as she saw what lay before her.

No, this couldn’t be. 

The Agni Kai was over four years ago - she was past this. 

But no matter how hard she blinked her eyes, she still saw Zuko laying on the ground with a bloody burn across his chest. 

Katara was frozen. Blood thumped loudly in her ears and she looked over to Azula, who had collapsed to the ground and seemed to be crying. Katara could faintly hear someone screaming.

Her vision burned as Saiko…

_ Saiko… _

...turned to look at her, a mocking glint in his eyes. Katara’s throat began to sting and she realized  _ she  _ had been screaming, and Zuko was barely moving, and Saiko was moving closer to finish him off -”

Katara’s senses flooded back. “No!” She cried in panic, her voice cracking and hoarse with exhaustion. Her hand flew out and she fell to her knees a few meters from Zuko. Saiko froze in place.

Katara wasn’t sure if she could bloodbend and breathe at the same time. She let out a small sob, and her grip on the evil man slacked for a moment. She heard footsteps around her, voices, people shouting, whispering, talking-

“What is that?”

“She’s bloodbending - Agni, I didn’t think she could do that without the full moon…”

“We have to do something!”

The frantic whispers came from behind her, where she had come from, and she could still hear Azula’s wracking sobs from over on the bridge. Katara couldn’t hold him like this much longer - should she...should she move him? A conversation with Toph flashed through her mind.

_ “I mean, I get why you don’t want to bloodbend, but no one says that there’s only one way to use it.” Toph had shrugged in her typical nonchalant manner. “There’s probably way more uses to bloodbending than just turning people into puppets.” _

_ “Like what?” Katara had snapped. The subject always put her on edge in a way that she didn’t understand.  _

_ “That’s up to you, not me.” Toph had sniffed indignantly. “All I’m saying is, you never know what uses a tool will have if you just ditch it right away.” _

Katara felt herself shaking, head spinning, stomach churning. What was she going to decide? What was she going to  _ do _ ? Never mind that - WHAT could she do? She had to save Zuko, but Saiko was struggling with every fiber of his being, and it was taking every ounce of Katara’s willpower to hold him still. What other options did she have? How was she going to-

A blade emerged through Saiko’s chest. The man stopped struggling against Katara just as she stopped bending, absolutely exhausted and nearly hitting her head on the stone walkway. As she blinked up at the old sage, she saw the last bit of life leaving his eyes before the blade was yanked out of him and he fell, crumpling to the floor. Utana breathed heavily, holding her bloody side with one hand and gripping the sword in the other. She had a crazed look in her eyes as she glared at the dead body that seemed to fade, and once it did, she gasped and fell to Zuko’s side, crying out in panic. “Zuko!”

Kiyi sat next to Azula, trying to comfort her despite being just as distraught, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Katara scrambled toward Zuko, numb, holding her hands above his wound. 

_ It’s just like last time, it’s just like last time, you can do it, you did it before - it’s just like last, time, just get some water and - _

As Katara pulled out her flask with both hands, shaking, Zuko  _ moved _ . Katara looked up in hope and surprise and she watched as he lay his trembling hand over her own. And she met his eyes and he smiled such a genuine smile that Katara really thought he was going to be okay.

But then his hand went slack, slipping off of her own and thudding to the ground beside him. And that was the moment Katara felt her heart stop.

Utana began screaming but Katara simply sat there. She simply sat there limply, staring down at her flask, a dull ringing in her ears.

_ This isn’t like last time. _

Katara numbly opened her flask and bent out some water, coating her hands in it, laying them on the wound. She healed like she always healed, and that’s all she did. It was just taking a long time, but it would be okay. 

“Katara.”

She felt a hand on her shoulder, but she didn’t bother turning to acknowledge it. She was busy.

“Katara,” Sokka knelt next to her, his face stained with tears. He looked into her face, grief behind his eyes. “Katara, he’s gone.”

“No he’s not.”

“Katara -”

“Let me heal him.”

Sokka sat down next to her, hanging his head. Katara’s eyes were working but she couldn’t seem to see anymore. She just stared blankly down at her healing.

She felt someone gently hold her hands and pull them away, and she didn’t have the energy to protest. “Come on, Katara,” It was Suki. She sounded strange. “Come on.”

The wails of his family had become ambience to Katara, but she was shoved back into reality when a new voice cried out in anguish. “No- NO! He’s NOT dead! WHO DID THIS?”

Katara stumbled at her return to the present, Toph’s scream ripping through her like a knife. The earthbender had only just reached them.

Katara felt her emotions rising with the bile in her throat. She was going to explode and yet collapse, she wasn’t big enough to hold this much pain and anger. She couldn’t live like this - she couldn’t continue failing losing everyone -

_ I am a Master Waterbender, and my element is all around me _

The world slowed, and for a brief moment of tranquility, Katara remembered where she was. Where they all were. And that hope gave Katara enough strength to bend over and lift him in her arms, ignoring the cries of shock of those around her, and she began walking. 

She would not give up yet. She  _ couldn’t _ . She would fight every last person, every last spirit, to save the people she loved. 

She would fight death itself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was super dramatic, right? I hope y'all don't hate me aaahh   
> I promise things will make sense at the end!


	17. As the Moon Rises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara is in complete denial over Zuko's death and the grief is growing unbearable.
> 
> Shit's going to happen, we all know it. The question is HOW?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN
> 
> Hello, lovelies! Here's the most important and super long chapter!
> 
> ***IMPORTANT***
> 
> This current fic will be coming to an end in a few chapters, BUT it's not the end of this series. I'll be working on some other stuff between these works, but this fanfic is actually the first in a trilogy I've planned. The second fic will center around the gaang as adults with children, and the third book will center around their children as young adults (with middle-aged gaang, of course).
> 
> This is important because some plotlines and questions won't be resolved in this fic, and that's on purpose.
> 
> ALSO this chapter will have sexual humor, but no actual sexual content. So, basically, it's 16-20 year olds acting their age. Nothing sexually intimate actually happens in this chapter - just awkward shit and some laughs.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> -Aleviah

_ [1] “Someone enters the pool.” _

_ [2] “I know. Which human is it this time?” _

_ [1] “It is not one we have seen. This one is of the moon.” _

_ [2] “What does she seek?” _

_ [1] “Life.” _

Katara knelt in the spirit oasis and held Zuko gently in her arms, which were growing sore. The effort it had taken to carry him here was beginning to take a toll on her. She let his body do most of the work, floating on its own, leaving one hand to cradle his neck and head as she placed her other hand on his chest.

“Come back to me…” She whispered, her face shining with tears. “You  _ have  _ to come back. You can’t just leave me like this. You  _ can’t _ .”

He didn’t stir. She began to heal, feeling the strength of the spirit oasis channel into him, but it was met with cold, empty darkness. She tried harder, and harder, sobbing but relentless in her attempts to do  _ something _ . ANYTHING. 

But nothing worked. Katara was too focused on her healing to notice her friends gathering around the outside of the oasis, and even if she had noticed, she wouldn’t have cared. She put all of her heart, all of her soul into this one thing - this _ one thing  _ that she needed more desperately than she had ever felt before. The water around her glowed a blindingly bright blue as she absentmindedly pushed her hand harder against his chest.

This cold emptiness inside him, the thing that refused to heal...that was just a block. She needed to break it, get past it, and  _ then  _ she could do it. She just had to try hard enough. She was sure of it - it HAD to be this way.

_ [1] “She is in mourning.” _

_ [2] “I pity her. She is desperate for healing what is already lost.” _

_ [1] “We have done miracles like this before.” _

_ [2] “We have. But we do not do these acts thoughtlessly.” _

_ [1] “We do not.” _

_ [2] “Disrupting the cycle would require great sacrifice of life.” _

_ [1] “Must we search her soul for such an option?” _

_ [2] “I see no reason not to inspect.” _

_ [1] “We cannot jump to conclusions...this decision is quite serious.” _

_ [2] “This is wise. Let us ponder our options.” _

_ [1] “If only mercy were so easy to provide.” _

_ [2] “Indeed.” _

Katara began to scream a low, cracking cry of desperation, pulling Zuko closer to her. His hair was splayed outward in the water, floating peacefully as if everything were alright. But everything was  _ not  _ alright - she buried her face into his chest and sobbed, ignoring the water lapping around her face, not even focusing on her healing anymore, she just clung to him and cried in agony. She couldn’t feel his heartbeat, couldn’t feel it with her head on his chest. There was no rise and fall of breath, no movement, no sound. Just Katara.  _ Alone _ .

A small part of her, the part that wasn’t drowning, seethed that Utana had killed Saiko. The only ounce of logic she had left reminded her that Utana was his mother, and she had every right to do such a thing. But now Katara could not kill Saiko, and that only fueled her screams and suffering because she wanted to kill every single sage, rip them apart until every remnant of their existence was gone. She wanted to release the torment she now endured that was too much, too much for her to handle, she wanted to unleash it upon the people who did this. The people who let this happen. The people who WANTED this, who CHOSE this. She would not stop until they were dead.

Katara had stopped trying to heal Zuko. She had collapsed onto her knees in the oasis, holding him tightly, her hand tangled in his wet hair and her other arm wrapped around his torso. She held him, hunched over and crying into his shoulder as if he would comfort her in her mourning. As if he would support her through his own death.

“How could you do this…” She sobbed into him. “I never got to tell you...we never got to...there were so many things to do...so many things…”

Her chest hurt with the heaving of her sobs as he didn’t reply because of course he didn’t reply. He was gone. Zuko was  _ gone _ .

_ [1] “She bears a mission.” _

_ [2] “Of what importance?” _

_ [1] “She aims to stop those who take advantage of the oasis. _

_ [2] “But what of the one who follows the rules?” _

_ [1] “That is the boy's mother.” _

_ [2] “Very interesting indeed.” _

_ [1] “Those who broke the rules still saved many.” _

_ [2] “Yes. But eliminating their practice is for the best.” _

_ [1] “Indeed. In doing so, there will undoubtedly be a sacrifice of human life.” _

_ [2] “I suppose. But is life obtained nefariously truly life?” _

_ [1] “Are you suggesting this would not create a balance?” _

_ [2] “I simply do not want to rush this decision.” _

_ [1] “Nor do I. But we do not have much time.” _

_ [3] “I must insist that you proceed with this plan.”  _

_ [1] “...What is your business here?” _

_ [3] “I have watched these humans for many years, and they will do everything in their power to restore the rules of the Oasis.”  _

_ [2] “Even if this is true, we are not naive. We know of your connection with these humans.” _

_ [3] “This is true. But you must reach out to the boy - he must be spared. He is of great importance.” _

Katara wondered when she would run out of tears. When she would run out of energy to breathe anymore and just sink to the bottom of the oasis, clinging to Zuko. Could they both be at peace? She was sure that as long as she lived, she would always know this pain. This excruciating, unbelievable pain. 

Her voice was growing raw from screaming. Her emotions were too much. They ate through her soul and spilled out of her mouth in horrid cries that didn’t stop, even after her voice had broken and her throat began to burn. Katara squeezed her eyes shut, tears still streaming steadily into the oasis, while Zuko’s eyes were resting closed as if sleeping peacefully. Her arms were burning, begging her to stop clinging to his body, but she would not let go. She would NOT let him go.

“Don’t you understand?” She cried to him, grasping at him as if she could somehow prevent what had already happened. “Don’t you understand that I love you? I never got to tell you, I never...I didn’t get to…” She was unable to form words as her emotions took over. 

_ [2] “The boy has been bonded to a draconian egg.” _

_ [1] “Impossible. The last of the dragons haven’t reproduced in nearly a century.” _

_ [3] “It is true. The egg is on this very island. It was entrusted to him by the last of the dragons.” _

_ [1] “This boy is the rightful Fire Lord.” _

_ [2] “We must do something.” _

_ [3] “I understand how delicate and important balance is. Part of restoring that balance is making sure the Fire Nation does not continue down this path it has paved over the last century. Zuko can do that - it has been entrusted to him by the dragons. Restoring him requires sacrifice, and you are right that the restriction of the spirit water would lead to many deaths, but there is a way through this. Is this not a time when these things are important enough to take risks?” _

_ [1] “You have grown wise. I am proud of you, Yue.” _

_ [3] “Thank you.” _

_ [2] “The humans have forgotten the rules regarding our gift. We must remind them. We will tell the girl this, and perhaps the rules can be restored without resulting in so many lost lives.” _

_ [1] “A wise suggestion. But what sacrifice for the boy?” _

_ [2] “We cannot take his bending. It is required for his journey ahead.” _

_ [1] “And we cannot take his love, for she has her own mission.” _

_ [3] “Perhaps bestow it upon his children.” _

_ [1] “Interesting suggestion…the traits of fire still flow through them, but none of his children will bend the flame.” _

_ [2] “The royal line of the fire nation will retain its firebending blood, but his successor will not wield it.” _

_ [1] “This is wise.” _

_ [2] “Indeed.” _

_ [1] “It is also worth noting that this process cannot be done unless we bind their lives and deaths. When one dies, so will the other.” _

_ [2] “Indeed. She must be his anchor to this world in order to bring him back, and the intertwining of their fates ensures balance.” _

_ [1] “How must we pass along our message?” _

_ [3] “Speak to the girl.” _

_ [1] “She is strong. We will bond her to you, Yue, and you will provide her the strength to do what needs to be done.” _

_ [2] “We trust that you will not allow her to abuse this gift.” _

_ [3] “I will not.” _

_ [1] “And so it shall be.” _

Like the slap of a wave - harsh, unexpected, and shocking - Katara was filled with a deep sense of peace. It didn’t feel right...it didn’t feel right at all. She wanted to be furious, angry, she didn’t want to feel like this.

_ “It’s okay, Katara.”  _ A soothing voice whispered in the back of her mind.  _ “I am with you. The spirits have taken mercy on you.” _

Katara’s eyes widened. That voice… “Yue?” she whispered, hiccuping through her sobs.

On land, Sokka’s eyes widened. “Did she just say Yue?”

_ “You MUST understand...we will give this gift to you, but very soon, we will need to tell you of your duties in order to maintain balance.” _

Katara continued grasping Zuko tight. “W-what?” She gasped, trying to catch her breath, but she was still grieving and she could not stop crying.

_ “You must right many years of wrongdoing, Katara. There are many things we must tell you...another time. There will be much to explain, but for now, I need you to reach for me.” _

Shaking, Katara blinked the water out of her eyes. “...reach?”

_ “Reach for me.” _

Katara didn’t move.

_ “It will be okay, Katara. I promise.” _

She reluctantly pried her arm away from Zuko’s body and looked up at the moon. Night had fallen. How long had she been kneeling here with him?

Her arm shook with exhaustion as she reached out toward the moon, which looked so bright.

“What is she doing…” Okami whispered, still supporting Azula’s weight. They all stared at Katara as she quieted and stretched toward the night sky, as if it were about to hand her something.

Kiyi took a deep breath, swallowing her sobs as she stared at the waterbender in confusion. “It looks like she’s trying to grab the moon.” She sniffled. 

Sokka shook his head in wonder. “Is she...hallucinating?”

“Maybe she’s in shock.” Suki whispered shakily.

“She’s in the spirit oasis reaching for the moon.” Toph said from where she sat on the ground, completely devoid of all emotion or typical sass. “Have a little faith in her bending abilities before you jump to conclusions.”

Sokka thought this was stupid, but he held his tongue, staring at his sister anxiously.

And then...mist began to form. A pale, shadowy figure seemed to descend out of the sky, formed by the air, flowing and serene. Sokka’s eyes became wide as he paled, somehow growing more tense than he had been before.

Suki put a hand on his arm. “Is that...her?” She whispered.

“Yue…” he breathed, a tear running down his face. 

She stopped descending toward the oasis, turning and making eye contact with Sokka. He held his breath.  _ “Sokka,”  _ She smiled brightly.  _ “It is so good to see you after all these years.” _

Tears were streaming out of his eyes now. “Yue, I…” He began, trailing off. “I let you...I’m so sorry…”

_ “I have kept watch over you and your friends.”  _ She glided towards them, stopping so that she was just an arms-length away.  _ “You all have done so well. And I am very happy for you and Suki.”  _ She gave Sokka a slightly mischievous smirk, turning to look at Suki, who blinked at the sudden attention.  _ “It took him long enough, didn’t it?” _

Suki was stunned for a moment before grinning, the smile cracking her cheeks, which were dry from hours of crying. “Yes,” She whispered. “It did.”

She turned back to Sokka, who was still frozen.  _ “You must forgive yourself, Sokka. I am where I am supposed to be, and I had the courage to do so thanks to you. I will do my best to repay this debt. Besides,”  _ She straightened up, preparing to leave.  _ “After tonight, I’ll always be tethered close by.” _

Before Sokka could attempt to respond and ask what that was supposed to mean, Yue had turned around and made her way back to Katara, who was still staring into space, her hand outstretched. Yue hovered in front of her, taking her hand. 

_ “Let it all out, Katara.” _

And Katara exploded with light. 

_**[This was a raffle prize I won from one of my extremely talented friends, Evie (@SORRYCH4T on twitter) .** _

_**It was done over six months ago, back when I had first started writing this fic, and this scene was always the one I looked forward to writing most. It's so gratifying to finally be abe to give context to such an amazing piece of art. I hope you all can appreciate it as much as I do while you continue to read!]** _

She held Zuko in her arms, crying out with the most raw and coarse scream that ripped through the oasis chamber. All of her pain, her anger, everything that she had tried to sob out of her body for hours echoed around them. Yue seemed to seep into her body.

Water began to float out of the spirit oasis in droplets as the pool glowed in a bright blue hue. Katara’s eyes, which were clenched shut, suddenly flew open, and her friends gasped as they glowed the same blinding blue as the water.

She heaved a stuttered gasp, sobbing as she croaked, “Don’t you understand?” tears ran down her face, tears that glowed and began to levitate after leaving her eyes as she pleaded with Zuko’s lifeless form. “Don’t you see that I  _ need _ you, Zuko, I’ve never needed anyone like this before. You can’t just leave me here - not now…”

Her voice was raspy, barely distinguishable from the rushing water droplets around her. She pushed through the cracks and pains. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this!” She shook him slightly. “I didn’t know, I didn’t have time to realize how much I needed you!  _ Please _ , Zuko!” She stroked his scarred cheek. “I can’t live with myself being too late,” She whispered, “Too late to save you. Too late to realize how much I love you, too late to  _ tell  _ you. Because I DO love you, Zuko, and I damn well want to tell you!”

The glowing bulbs of water that hung lazily in the air began to spin furiously around the edge of the oasis. “I don’t even care if you don’t feel the same.” she cried. “I don’t even care if you hate me! But if I got to look into your eyes and tell you how much I love you, that would be enough. But they  _ took  _ you from me. They TOOK YOU AWAY.”

Everything was luminescent and bright. Katara was so tense, every muscle in her body burning, that she could hardly feel anything anymore. But she also felt too much - way too much. She would never be at peace. 

“Please, Zuko…” her voice finally gave out as her chest heaved. She fell forward, her head burrowing in the crook of his neck as she sobbed.

“...Katara?”

She gasped a shuddering, choking breath, looking down through the glow of her vision. No, this couldn’t be. Her eyes must be betraying her. This was impossible.

“Zuko?” She whispered. His eyes blinked slowly, opening just enough to see her, and suddenly nothing else mattered. His deep brown eyes were open, they were looking at her, and the rest of the world ceased to exist. He reached up toward her shakily.

“It was you.” he whispered.

Katara sobbed. “W-what?” 

“It was you, in my dreams.” He rested his hand on her face, cupping her cheek and smiling weakly. “The girl with the glowing eyes.”

“They…” Katara held his head, cradling his face, “They brought you back to me.” The glow slowly faded from her eyes, as well as from the water around her, and the droplets whirling around the oasis slowed down. 

_ “We did not.”  _ Yue’s voice spoke within her mind.  _ “There is much we will tell you, Katara, but this is not the time. Just know that I have bonded myself to you, just as Zuko was bonded to the draconian egg. The spirits allowed this to happen, yes, but it was YOU who pulled him back to the living world.” _

Katara continued as if Yue hadn’t spoken. “Are you really here?” She whispered, stroking his hair and studying his face. “How...I’m so sorry, Zuko, but you’re here? Agni, you’re HERE, I-”

She began to sob again, clinging to him. “I lost you, I thought I’d lost you - Agni, you were gone and you’re back, thank the spirits…”

Zuko shifted, trying to get up, and he managed to get his legs underneath him. Katara wouldn’t let him go, and Zuko didn’t want to leave. “Thank you, Katara.” He whispered, grasping her hand that sat on his cheek. “You’re so amazing. I don’t know what you just did, but I’m not surprised that you did it. If anyone could fight death and win, it would be you.” He chuckled. “You’re so damn stubborn.”

Katara laughed through her tears, helping him further up so that he, like her, was kneeling in the oasis. They faced each other, Katara’s hands still on Zuko’s shoulder and cradling the back of his head as if making sure he wouldn’t fall. “You aren’t allowed to jump in front of lightning ever again.” She scolded him halfheartedly, hiccuping through her sobs. She sniffled and hid her face in the crook of his neck and began to pray under her breath. 

Zuko, though still weak, wrapped his arms around her and buried his face into her neck and her hair, which was wet, but he didn’t care. He resisted as she pulled away, but she pushed herself further from him enough to cradle his face with both hands, studying him with joy and awe and such intensity that Zuko could feel it in his chest.  _ She’s looking at ME that way. _ He thought to himself. The wonders and questions of his return to life had fled him because Katara was more incredible than all of that.

“They brought you back to me.” She said again.

Zuko reached up and gently brushed a wet strand of hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear and resting his hand on her jaw. “You know…” he smiled, staring back into her eyes as she gazed at him. “Your eyes look beautiful at night.”

Katara’s face split into a grin, tears once again streaming down her cheeks. “Does my bending look pretty at night, too?” She teased. 

Zuko spared a glance at the hovering droplets. “Yes,” he decided, looking back down at her with a soft look in his eyes. “It’s very pretty. But it’s not nearly as beautiful as you.”

Katara held back another wave of tears, and without any warning she flung her arms around Zuko and pulled him close, barely brushing her lips against his before suddenly pulling back, wide eyed. “Um,” She released his shirt from her grip. “I’m sorry, that was really quick, and you must be really exhausted, and this isn’t the time -”

Zuko didn’t let her finish. He surged forward to meet her lips and closed his eyes and cherished the fact that he was  _ here _ . He was alive to kiss her. One arm snaked its way around her waist, holding her close to him, while the other gently cradled the back of her neck. Katara made a little squeak in surprise, which made Zuko’s heart swell, but the startled noise was quickly swallowed as she melted into the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair, marveling at how on earth a kiss could be so intense and yet so gentle.

They met one another with equal desperation, equal passion - the kind of kiss that leaves nothing unsaid because they couldn’t afford to have any regrets now. Not after they were given a second chance. 

Zuko didn’t mind that Katara’s face was wet with tears, and Katara couldn’t care less that her torso was pressed into a freshly-healed chest still covered in blood. A shiver went down Zuko’s spine every time she would run her hand through his hair and curl her fingers, scratching his scalp. His eyes weren’t open but he knew that droplets of water were still suspended in the air around them, and he could feel new ones rising out of the oasis, surrounding them with suspended rain.

Katara didn’t realize she was bending, but it was no wonder that she was. She was pouring every ounce of herself into this kiss, every drop of pain and grief she had held from losing him, every thread of focus, she put it toward this one thing.  _ ZUKO _ . The water around her responded to this push of energy - it reacted to the life that had returned to her when she had returned life to him.

Zuko ran his hand down Katara’s shoulder and stopped abruptly when she winced, and he could feel why. A dark burn marred her skin and part of her sleeve was seared away, leaving the rest of her arm and sleeve stained with blood. He pulled back, breaking the kiss and leaving Katara to pout. “Katara, you’re hurt!”

“I don’t care!” She hissed lightly, turning his face to meet her eyes. “I care about  _ you _ , Zuko. YOU.” Katara leaned forward and pressed a softer, gentler kiss onto his lips, causing them to tingle. She averted her gaze. “I…”

“I love you, Katara.”

She met his eyes, mouth open slightly, and Zuko reached to hold one of her hands in his own. He brought it up to his lips and lightly grazed her knuckles with his lips, doing the same to her palm. “I’m sorry I waited so long to tell you,” He smiled at her softly. “It apparently took me dying to realize it.”

Katara chuckled, wiping her eyes. “I love you too, you stupid idiot.”

He pulled her back into him, their lips locking once again, but they were interrupted by a clearing throat. 

“Uh, hey, we’ve kinda just let you guys do your thing, but some of the rest of us would like to say hi to Zuko now that he’s not dead.” Sokka called over to them. A few of their other friends groaned at him. “Also, please stop making out…I’ve already had to watch this for like five minutes and I don’t think I can take much more.”

“Sokka!” Suki elbowed him harshly in the ribs. “Priorities!”

Toph smacked his shoulder. “Shut the fuck up!”

“Well, I thought I should remind them that we’re still here before they started stripping or something!”

Zuko smirked down at Katara, who blushed, scoffing and lightly whacking the back of his head. She couldn’t resist a grin, though, which Zuko took as a personal victory. He stood up shakily, holding her hand as she did the same, and they waded out of the pool toward the crowd.

Zuko was immediately crushed by Utana, who hugged him so fiercely that it knocked the wind out of him. “Oh, Zuko…” She sobbed into his chest. “Oh, Agni...thank the spirits, thank Agni, you’re back with us…” She pulled back from him enough to hold his face in her hands, trembling. “My baby boy…”

Sokka pulled Katara into him fiercely. “Only you could have done that, Katara.” He laughed, blinking back tears. “I didn’t need to see that last part, but -”

Katara rolled her eyes at him, moving to hug Suki, who squeezed her tightly. 

Utana finally pulled away from Zuko, wiping her eyes. Kiyi came stomping around her mother for her turn. “You stupid idiot!” She snapped, hiccuping through her tears and wrapping her arms around his waist, hugging him fiercely. “How does one person get hit by lightning twice?” She continued. “How could you scare us like that? Why would you do that?”

Zuko opened his mouth to give some sort of response but he was cut off.

“You saved me.”

Kiyi let go of Zuko as Azula walked up to them awkwardly. “I…” She rubbed her arm. “You didn’t have to do that. I mean, thank you. For...for saving me. But don’t do that again. I…” She stood there, unsure of how to proceed, so Zuko took the liberty of hugging her first. 

“I’m so glad you’re okay.” He whispered. Azula stood stiffly for a few moments, stunned, before hugging him back. She closed her eyes and pulled him closer because she didn’t know how much she had needed this hug, how much she had needed it for years and years. Zuko pulled away, his hands resting on her shoulders. “Also,” he added, “Don’t tell me what to do.”

Azula frowned. “I’ll do whatever I want, and I’m telling you to not do it again. I’m not worth the -”

“Stop it!” Okami hissed from her side, grabbing her arm. “You’re talking shit about yourself again! Stop!”

“But-”

“No!” Okami snapped, turning to Zuko. “Will you tell her, please?”

Zuko blinked at Okami speaking to him in such a...friend-like way, but gladly obliged. “Azula.” He folded his arms. “I’m going to do whatever the fuck I want.”

Okami scowled. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“Let me get there!” Zuko insisted before continuing. “Listen, Azula. I know you’ve gone through a lot, and you’ve done a lot of terrible shit. But you’re also only eighteen. You have years ahead of you - new friends, new family. And old friends and family.” He smiled. “You need to give yourself a chance. If not for yourself, do it for us.”

Azula opened her mouth to argue, but Okami glared at her, and she closed it. “Fine.” She sniffed. “But I’m not just gonna be a diplomat for you or something.” 

Zuko’s face split into a grin. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Azula huffed, walking away, and Zuki grabbed Okami’s arm as she made to follow. “How did you do that?”

Okami shrugged. “I don’t know, we’ve spent most of her time rehabilitating together. I guess we’ve just...bonded over some things.”

Zuko let go of her arm and patted her on the back. “Thanks, Okami.” He told her sincerely.

She smirked at him. “I didn’t do this for you, your highness.”

“Zuko.” Kiyi poked her head out from behind Okami. Zuko raised his eyebrow. “I just wanted to ask,” She glanced over at Katara. “So, you came back from the dead and decided it was the perfect time to confess your love and make out?”

Zuko’s jaw dropped indignantly. “I had just...we were…” He spluttered. 

Okami burst out laughing and wrapped her arm around Kiyi’s shoulders. “At least we know he’s got his priorities straight.” She noted. “Get a second chance at life? Go get the girl.”

Zuko’s eyes found Katara, who was hugging Utana while simultaniously arguing with Sokka. She pulled away from her hug with Zuko’s mother and exchanged a glance with Suki that Zuko assumed meant  _ ‘did he really just say that’ _ , which caused him to smile. She was so intimidating. Agni, he loved her. 

“It took you long enough.” 

Zuko spun to face Toph, who was standing behind him grumpily. “I’ve been waiting for them to kiss for over four years!” She snipped, slamming into Zuko like a log and wrapping her arms around him in what he assumed was a hug. “Sure, it was just me playing matchmaker back in the day, but after all these years you still couldn’t grow a pair until you fucking died? And you didn’t even tell me about these new feelings! I mean, I already knew, but you should have told me!”

Zuko chuckled as he hugged the small earthbender. “What would I do without you, Toph?”

“Apparently, you’d DIE.” Toph snapped, pulling away from him and jabbing her finger into his chest. “That is the LAST time you leave me to babysit during a fight. Got it, Sparky?”

“Heard loud and clear.”

_ o0o0o _

As the group had begun to file back into the Northern Water Tribe, where the civilians were settling back into their homes, Jet hobbled up to Zuko. “Hey.”

Zuko turned, raising his eyebrow. “Hey?”

Jet huffed. “I, uh, I saw what happened. That was cool, coming back from the dead and all. Katara’s pretty great.”

“Yeah, she is.”

They walked in silence for a few moments before Jet continued. “I just wanted to let you know...I didn’t know about what had happened when I left the safehouse. Toph gave me your egg, told me to keep it safe, and left in a hurry. I only left when, well…” Jet rubbed the back of his neck. “Your egg hatched.”

Zuko’s eyes bulged. “WHAT?”

“The dragon. It’s locked in the bathroom back in the safehouse.” Jet repeated as if it were no big deal. “It was kinda cute, actually.”

It turned out that Katara’s wealth of knowledge, which was “You’re bonded to the dragon,” didn’t prepare Zuko whatsoever for when he opened the bathroom door. The rest of the group stood along the edges of the room tensely.

Zuko turned the doorknob gingerly and had barely opened the door when a small, slithering reptile, only about the length and width of a child’s arm, came snaking through the crack. Zuko yelped as it crashed into him. It was light, so when Zuko fell it was entirely his fault, tripping over his own feet and startling himself. Regardless, the baby dragon flapped its too-small wings in excitement as it hopped onto his stomach. Zuko rubbed his tailbone, wincing. 

Katara walked toward them. “Okay, that’s adorable.”

“What, me falling on my ass?”

“No, that’s just funny.” Katara giggled, and Zuko just rolled his eyes.

“Ha, ha.” He sniffed indignantly, getting to his feet with the new baby dragon pup in his arms. The cute thing slithered around his neck and licked his ear, which caused Zuko to nearly jump a mile. 

“What are you going to name him, Zuko?” Utana asked pridefully.

Zuko thought for a moment. “You know, I was thinking about Druk.” He nodded to himself, turning to look at Kiyi, whose eyes brightened. “It’s the name of the fictional dragon that narrates Kiyi’s dragon encyclopedia.”

Okami scrunched up her nose. “What kind of encyclopedia has a narrator?” She asked skeptically.

“Much less a fictional one.” Azula added from next to her.

“My dragon encyclopedia, that’s what!” Kiyi huffed, pointing to the large hardback and leatherbound book sitting nearby. 

“Druk…” Katara murmured, letting the pup sniff her hand and lick her. “I like it, Zuko. I really do. So...do you feel any sort of...bond?”

Zuko frowned. “I’m not sure yet.” He confessed. “But…” his shoulders sagged. “But right now I just really need some time, if that’s okay. I’m here, thank the spirits, but this all was...this all was a bit crazy.”

Utana put her hand on his shoulder. “Of course, Zuko…” She rubbed his back, opening the door to the nearest bedroom. “Take Drax and come rest in here.”

“His name is Druk.”

“Same thing.”

_ o0o0o _

Katara sat at the table, stunned. The remains of Druk’s egg were all over its surface, and normally it would have driven Katara insane to sit there and not clean it, but right now she just sat and stared into space.  _ It all went so fast. _

“Hey…” Suki sat down next to her, grasping her hand. “Are you okay?”

“I…” Katara swallowed. “That was just a lot. One second I thought I was going to rip myself apart with grief and the next Zuko and I were just hugging everyone like we were getting back from a vacation at the beach or something.”

Suki smiled softly. “Well, in our defense,” She squeezed Katara’s hand. “We aren’t necessarily taught how to react when someone comes back from the dead.”

Katara chuckled. “No, we certainly aren’t.” She kept her eyes averted, but Suki continued to look at her with that caring, weak smile. “What?” She asked defensively.

“I don’t know how you did that, Katara,” She replied. “I don’t know how you managed to bring him back, or make the water glow or have your eyes shine like you were in the avatar state. But I’m not surprised. If anyone could do that, it’s you. You’re so strong, and powerful.”

Katara returned her smile. “Don’t think for a second I’m stopping my training.” She told her, which made Suki laugh.

“Oh, don’t worry. I wouldn’t have let you.” Suki winked. “It’s been too fun for me.”

They sat in silence. Comfortable silence that was only broken with the opening and closing of doors as people went from room to room and the murmurs to each other as they passed. “Katara,” Suki finally said. “Sokka and I are engaged.”

Katara turned to look at her with astonishment. “W-what?” She gasped. “When? By the spirits, Suki, I’m so happy for you!”

Suki grinned. “It happened while we were on our way to Rotaki, but there was never a good time to tell anyone...I mean, there probably was, but I kinda kept forgetting about it. But don’t tell Sokka that. I’m pretty sure he told Zuko the minute we got to Bhang Chi.”

Katara chuckled, grabbing both of Suki’s hands. “I’m so happy for you, Suki!” She breamed. “It took him long enough!”

Suki’s eyes suddenly looked far off. “Yeah…” her voice faded. “That’s what Yue said.” 

Katara’s eyes widened, but before she could say anything Zuko poked his head out the door. “Hey, Katara, could you get a bowl of water for me? Druk is thirsty.”

Suki frowned. “How do you know he’s thirsty?”

“I…” Zuko blinked. “I, uh, I just know.”

Katara clapped her hands. “THAT’S your bond! You must share some sort of connection with him, kinda like sharing thoughts!”

Before Zuko could stop him, Druk ran out of the room on his tiny, tiny legs, flapping his useless baby wings. He bit the hem of Katara’s pants and began pulling her with all his might back toward the room. Zuko just stood there, shocked. 

“Well, it seems Druk has a pretty clear idea of what you want, too.” Suki smirked, getting up. “That’s my cue to leave...Katara,” She leveled her stare at her, speaking low enough that Zuko couldn’t hear. “Don’t run away from this. You go in there and knock him dead.”

Katara glanced over at Zuko, who looked very apprehensive at their whispering. “How the hell am I supposed to knock him dead? What am I supposed to -” Her eyes bulged. “SUKI!”

Her future sister-in-law winked. “I mean, it’s up to you, but that’s definitely one way to do it.” She sauntered into another room, closing the door behind her, and Katara cleared her throat, grabbing a bowl and bending some water from the sink into it. 

“Come on.” She pushed by Zuko into the room, Druk trotting after her happily. Zuko closed the door behind them sheepishly.

Katara sat on the bed in the corner of the room, so Zuko sat in the chair. An awkward silence spread between them for a few moments before Katara cleared her throat. “So, uh, you have dreams about me?”

Zuko’s eyes bulged. “W-what?” He spluttered.

Katara immediately blushed. “I...I mean, when you came back, you said there was a girl in your dreams with glowing eyes and-”

“Oh.” Zuko looked suspiciously relieved. “Yeah, yeah, it’s been like that for months. I never got a good look at her, just that her eyes glowed blue. I guess it was you.”

Druk finished lapping his water and snuggled up on Katara’s lap. She giggled, petting the little dragon. Zuko opened his mouth as if to say something, but decided against it.

“What?” Katara asked.

“Nothing.”

“Tell me.” She pressed.

Zuko frowned. “Everything is happening so fast, I don’t want to make it more overwhelming for you -”

“Zuko, you died and came back to life, I think I can handle a conversation.” Katara snapped. Zuko rolled his eyes. “Yes, this is all extremely overwhelming, but what are we supposed to do? Stand around and gawk at you?” She sniffed indignantly. 

“Okay, fine.” He relented, folding his arms. “I was just...I was going to ask what happened. To the sages and stuff.”

Katara paled slightly, clearing her throat. “Well, uh, we restrained pretty much everybody, and since they invaded Northern Water Tribe territory we handed them over to the Chief. By ‘we’ I mean Sokka, he told me after we got out of the Oasis.”

“And...Saiko?”

Katara looked up at him, but his gaze was averted, staring at the ground as he clenched his fists at his sides. “Your mom killed him.” She answered softly.

Zuko looked up in surprise. “My...my mom?” He blinked. “Wow...I thought you took him down before that. Granted, I couldn’t really see much.”

Katara sighed, letting Druk nibble on her fingers with his little baby teeth. “I stopped him with my bloodbending, otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten there fast enough.” She confessed. “But your mom was the one who killed him.” 

“Oh.” 

Another stretch of silence.

“You did something to me, Zuko.”

He looked up at her, wide eyed, afraid of what he had supposedly done. “What do you mean?”

Katara looked out the small window high on the wall. “When we were in the oasis, I was just sitting there and...and…” she took a shaky breath. “I’ve never felt so dark before. I was angry at your mom, Zuko. Angry at her for killing Saiko.”

Zuko frowned. “Why the hell would you-”

“Because I wanted to kill him myself.”

Zuko stopped mid-sentence, realization spreading across his face. 

“I wanted to kill all of them, but him most of all. I wanted to take all my pain and shove it onto him and make him  _ feel  _ it, make him SUFFER. I wanted to look into his eyes and make him regret everything.” Katara spat. 

Zuko didn’t respond, instead he just stared at her in astonishment, mouth slightly open. Tears began to fall down Katara’s cheeks (as if she hadn’t cried enough that day already). “How could I think such evil things, Zuko?” She whispered, cradling herself in her arms. “Is that really who I am, deep down? Someone who wants to kill people?”

Zuko’s mouth dropped open completely. “Katara, you can’t -”

“I’m so disappointed in myself, I can’t believe I thought -”

“Stop, you can’t do this to yourse-”

“Am I really capable of murdering people?”

“Katara!” Zuko raised his voice, causing her to look up at him. He pushed off of the chair and knelt in front of her, grasping both of her hands in his. “Listen to me,” he begged. “There is  _ nothing  _ wrong with the raw emotions you feel while grieving, do you understand? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“But -”

“Katara, for Agni’s sake, listen to yourself!” He bowed his head, bringing her hands up to his forehead. “If you really were a bad person, you wouldn’t care so much about wanting to be a good person! You wouldn’t be sitting here crying because you think you’ve done something wrong when you haven’t done anything!” He let go of her hands, pinching the bridge of his nose before meeting her eyes. Katara looked down at him, stunned. “Fuck, Katara, how can you keep doing this to yourself? You just brought me back to life and you’re sitting here worried about being a bad person? You were  _ always  _ the best of us, Katara, why won’t you  _ see  _ that? Why?”

She stared at him. His pleading eyes were so sincere, so desperate. “I just feel like I get lucky.” she whispered without thinking.

Zuko blinked. “What?”

“I’m never the one having to die for other people.”

Zuko’s face fell into anguish. “Don’t say that.” He hissed. Katara squeaked slightly as he moved forward so that he was kneeling between her legs, hugging her waist tightly. His head rested just below her neck, and typically Katara would be embarrassed at this position, but she could tell Zuko was completely serious by the way he clung to her. “Don’t say that,” he repeated. 

“Why, Zuko? You’ve almost died for people countless times. You literally just died for Azula.” Katara replied in an uncharacteristically monotone voice. 

Zuko released his hold on her, pulling back so that his hands rested on either side of her on the mattress and he was looking up into her eyes. “And?” He countered.

Katara wanted to fold her arms. “And...and that’s saving someone’s life! That’s the best thing you could ever do for someone!”  
“Katara, you just brought me back from the dead.”

“I…” She slumped slightly. “I’m not saying I’m useless, and I’m not saying I want to die.” She murmured, leaning into his shoulder. “I...I just want to jump in front of lighting for you too. If that makes any sense.”

Zuko gently made her look up at him. “Katara, that makes no sense at all, and if you ever do that I’ll lose my shit.” 

Katara laughed, a few tears trailing down her cheeks. “Zuko, I just want to be more than a healer, I want to be a protector!” She protested. “Don’t you see?”

“Katara, don’t you see that you’re a literal Goddess from my dreams?” Zuko cradled her face in his hands. 

“Okay, um, sorry for interrupting whatever this is, but I’m also not sorry because that was cheesy as fuck. Katara, you better not let him say shit like that on a regular basis now. That’s just embarrassing.”

Jumping, Katara and Zuko looked over at the half-open door, where Toph stood snacking on a bowl of grapes. “Just came to let you know that a boat from the Fire Nation is coming to get us, it’ll be here tomorrow morning.” She tossed another grape into her mouth. “Now, I’m getting out of here. Use protection because I’m definitely not babysitting for free.”

Katara and Zuko both began to splutter some sort of reply, but they didn’t get a single word out before the door slammed and left them alone again. Druk chirped happily. 

They locked eyes, blushing furiously. “Did you seriously just call me the goddess of your dreams?” She giggled.

Zuko frowned. “ _ That’s  _ what stood out to you about this conversation?”

“I’m not a goddess. I’ve been bonded to a spirit.”

Zuko waved her off. “Goddess.” 

“Zuko,” Katara became more serious. “I promise, I do value my own life. But I am tired of trying to save people. It’s just a lot of pressure. And protecting people feels more proactive, like I can save people before they’re hurt.” Her gaze fell to her lap. “That way I won’t be too late.”

“Katara…” Zuko reached up and brushed her hair out of her face, stroking her cheek. “You have to accept that there will be people you can’t protect. And that’s okay.”

**_[AN: Go read Brandon Sanderson. Just do it. His books are amazing -_ ** **_START WITH THE STORMLIGHT ARCHIVE SERIES_ ** **_you’re welcome ;) also I’m telling you this because anyone has read through Stormlight Archive 4 will know the reference I just put there and I’d love for people to appreciate my very rare moment of genius.]_ **

“No.” Katara shook her head, pulling his hand away. “Zuko, I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”

“I never said that.” Zuko rested his arms on her legs as if they were armrests, and the back of Katara’s mind found this both extremely worthy of blushing and also very amusing. But this wasn’t the time. “I said you need to accept it. That doesn’t mean you don’t try to protect people or save them - but if things end up still going badly, you can’t blame yourself. You can’t control everything. You aren’t a god.”

Katara couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows. “I thought I was a goddess?”

Zuko blinked before grinning despite himself. “Did you hear what I said?”

“Yes…” Katara sighed, resigned.

“Okay.” Zuko cupped her face in his hands once again. “Because you deserve so much better than what you give yourself, Katara.”

“Do I deserve you?”

Zuko softened. “You deserve better.” he whispered, wiping tears from Katara’s cheeks with his thumbs. “But I’m selfish.”

Katara scowled at him. “Stop selling yourself short!” She snapped as he gazed at her. “You can’t just tell me to think better about myself and then tell me that I’m too good for you, that’s so hypocritical! And you’re definitely -”

Zuko pulled her towards him gently as he interrupted her with a kiss. A soft one, a short one, and Katara felt robbed when she barely registered what had happened before he began to pull away. “Can…” He whispered, the tip of his nose brushing hers. “Can I kiss you?”

“It’s a bit late to ask, don’t you think?”

“Uh, sorry…” Zuko took one of his hands off of her face and scratched the back of his head. “Well, uh, can I?”

Katara huffed. “What sort of stupid question is that?” She said as she leaned down, wrapping her arms around his neck and then they were kissing. 

It wasn’t like back in the oasis - no, this time, there wasn’t desperation. It was just passion, longing, but there was no rush. Katara got tired of bending over and slid off of the mattress down onto his lap, and Zuko gladly moved from his kneeling position to sitting cross-legged. She wrapped her legs around his waist and kissing felt so different when they weren’t soaking wet and covered in blood, it felt so different when they were safe. It was different to rake her fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp just slightly in the way that made him moan just a little, to do that when his hair wasn’t wet. It was different when they didn’t have an audience, when he hadn’t just come back from the dead. This was  _ home _ . 

Katara pulled away, and Zuko stuck out his bottom lip to pout. Katara placed a quick peck on his lips before turning a bit serious. “Can I...can I ask you something?”

“Of course.” Zuko smiled at her softly. “Ask away.”

She stared at him for a few moments,  _ spirits, that face... _ before snapping herself back into reality. “Erm, right.” She cleared her throat, straightening up. “I, uh, I was just wondering what it was like to...to come back. Was it like waking up?”

Zuko chuckled, much to Katara’s surprise. “What’s so funny?” She demanded.

“I had a choice, you know.”

“What do you mean.”

“I didn’t have to come back.” Zuko ran a hand through her hair gently. “But I did, of course. I don’t know how I knew, I just... _ did _ . I knew what my options were, and I knew where to go when I made my choice.” His smile broadened. “Well, coming back was the easiest part.”

“How so?” Katara asked curiously.

“I just followed your voice.”

Katara pulled back slightly in shock. “My - what?”

“You were crying, and you sounded so hurt, and I could hear you talking. You told me I couldn’t leave you, so I ran and ran until I was back with you. I…” He sighed, grasping one of her hands. “I wanted you to know that it wasn’t too late because I  _ did  _ hear you say that you love me. And I wanted to tell you that I love you, too.”

A few moments of silence passed. Druk croaked excitedly, weaseling his way into the tight space between Katara and Zuko’s torsos. Katara scoffed. 

“I can’t believe it took you dying for us to realize something so important.”

“Yeah,” Zuko agreed. “Well, apparently everyone else knew.” 

Katara blinked. “What?”

“My mom had guessed, so had Kiyi and she has very strong opinions about it. Toph is annoyed it took so long and apparently Sokka and Suki bet on which one of us would confess our love first.”

Katara’s mouth fell open. “Who did you say did it?”

“Me,” He admitted. “Since I technically was still dead when you confessed. You didn’t know I heard you.”

Katara rolled her eyes. “So, who won?”

“Suki.”

“Figures.”

“I do, by the way.”

Katara frowned. “What do you mean?”

Zuko pressed his lips to hers. “I do love you.” he whispered before their mouths melded back together. It was as if they had practiced this for decades and there was nothing more natural in the world.

Zuko eventually broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers. “You’re my safe place.” He said breathlessly, arms around her waist and holding her tightly as if he would die again if she were to ever let go. 

“You’re so damn cheesy, Zuko.” She chuckled, leaning in and barely brushing her lips to his before swerving to whisper in his ear. “I’m lucky I didn’t have to hear any of your pickup lines.” Her breath was hot and gave him goosebumps, which remained as she pulled away, giggling and kissing his cheek. He flushed and she raised her eyebrows. “Seriously? We just made out and you blush when I kiss your cheek? That’s the most innocent thing ever!”

“Well, um…”

“You never cease to amaze me.”

“Katara…”

Zuko’s face continued to redden, and Katara frowned. What was…

“Oh!” Katara’s eyes widened, and Zuko somehow became more red. “Um, sorry!” She clambered off of him, sitting back on the bed. “I can leave if you need to -”

“No, it’s okay!” He protested before wincing. “I mean, no, if you think it’s weird you can go, we kinda just became a thing so I know this might be weird and-”

Katara wrung her hands. “No, I mean, yes, but not like that, I’m just...I don’t have any experience with this and -”

Zuko nearly choked. “Katara, I wasn’t suggesting we  _ do  _ anything!”

“Well, me neither!” She shot back defensively. “I just don’t know how I’m supposed to act! Are we supposed to pretend like it’s not there?”

Zuko scoffed. “Well,  _ you  _ could, but I can’t.”

“So, should I leave so you can…” Katara cleared her throat. “Uh, fix it?”

“Oh, for Agni’s sake!” Someone shouted from the other side of the door. The two of them turned toward it in surprise and a few seconds later it swung open. Toph glared at them, hands on her hips.

“Before you ask, yes, I have been eavesdropping on you.” She held up her finger before either of them could respond. “It was either that or have Sokka barging in here. I can’t really claim that I wasn’t interested, though, because it was pretty entertaining. But this is just pathetic and I can’t listen to it any longer.” She folded her arms. “Katara, come with me. Zuko, do whatever you need to do to fix your little problem.”

She turned to walk away, pausing a few feet from the door expectantly and Katara got up, scurrying over. Zuko was shaken out of his stupor. “Hey, did you just call it my  _ little _ -”

The second Katara was out the door, Toph slammed it behind her. “Jeez, Katara, have you never seen a boner before?”

Katara folded her arms. “Well, have  _ you _ ?”

“Touché.” Toph sat, motioning for Katara to sit next to her at the table. “Though, I think I’d still react better than you. That was just sad. Want a grape?” She offered a few of the juicy bulbs but Katara shook her head. 

“Agni, Toph, it’s like my world got flipped upside down in less than three hours…” She groaned, rubbing her temples.

Toph shrugged. “Hey, you seem to be enjoying the results.”

“It’s been like an hour, do you have to keep making weird remarks?”

“Are you kidding?” Toph folded her arms. “You better give us the details. Suki made sure to fill us in when -”

“We also didn’t  _ ask  _ for details about that!” Katara interrupted, screwing up her face. “Do you think I  _ wanted  _ details about her and my brother?”

Toph huffed, grumbling something under her breath before responding. “Well, I want details about you and Zuko. I want to know about it so I can laugh at him.”

“Spirits, did I miss something important?”

Suki jogged over to them, a bedroom door closing behind her. She dragged a chair over to them and sat backwards in it, resting her arms across the back and grinning at Katara. “Spill, girl!”

Katara threw her hands up in exasperation. “Nothing happened!”

“Zuko got a boner.” Toph informed her. 

“We were just kissing!”

“She was sitting on his lap.”

Katara slapped Toph’s shoulder, causing her to drop a few grapes. The earthbender scowled, chucking a grape that Katara barely dodged. Suki laughed. “Katara, you’re literally doing the most normal stuff couples do.” she assured her. “You’ll get used to it.”

Katara groaned. “It’s been  _ one hour _ , why is everyone already in our business?”

“We’ve been waiting for you two to get together for a while.” Toph folded her arms. “Personally, I’ve always rooted for it. But I knew way back when you came to the Fire Nation over a year ago to stay for the new year.”

Katara gaped. “What? How did you -”

“You two just make sense, Katara.” Suki interjected, nodding. “New year’s week you made him laugh so hard I thought he was drunk - I’ve never seen him like that. I hardly see either of you relaxed, but you two relax around each other. You always have.”

“Well, not  _ always _ .” Toph nitpicked. “But you know what we mean.”

Katara sighed, resigned. “I have no idea how to do this.” She mumbled. “You two know more about us than I do. I mean, Suki, how did you know that he would confess first? Technically?”

Suki raised her eyebrows. “Technically?”

“Well, I confessed to his dead body, so I didn’t think he could hear me. But he apparently followed my voice when coming back so he did hear me. But we agreed it didn’t count because I didn’t know he could hear me.” 

Suki thought for a moment before nodding. “Okay, that’s fair.” She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t tell Sokka.”

Katara held her hands up. “I won’t.”

“Good.” Suki smirked. “Cuz I won that bet. And believe me, if situations were normal, he totally would have confessed first.”

“But how do you know?” Katara pressed. 

“Trust me.” Suki chuckled, glancing back at the room where Sokka was. “I know a simp when I see one.”

“Katara.” Toph said seriously. Suki and Katara turned to her immediately. “You don’t need to overthink this. Just be yourself.”

Katara took a deep breath. “Okay.” She smiled brightly. “Yeah...yeah, okay!” She fiddled with her hands. “So...a boat is coming tomorrow morning?”

“Yep.” Toph put her hands behind her head and leaned back in her chair. “Apparently the Kyoshi Warriors took over running things after the sages came here to blow shit up, and they sent a ship this way once they figured out where we were.” She yawned widely before continuing. “And we got a letter from Aang. Apparently they’ve made a lot of progress organizing the possible locations of air nomads. He said there’s some stuff we need to know, but he’ll tell us in person.”

Katara relaxed slightly in relief. “Wow…I’m glad everything ended up okay. Now all we have to do is pick up the pieces of this mess.”

Toph huffed. “Sounds like a lot of work.”

Katara glared at her. “Hey, don’t you have a new generation of metalbenders to teach?”

“Ehh,” Toph waved her off. “I’ve got time for that. When we get home, I’m resting.”

_ o0o0o _

Zuko couldn’t sleep that night. To spare himself of more awkwardness, he slept in a different room than Katara. She was bound to be exhausted after the day she had. 

But Katara lay awake as well. When such emotions come spilling out all at once, it brings back memories, big and small. They both lay staring at a stone wall and thinking about what they had been through together over the years - the conversations they had, the things they had gone through. They thought about how they had always instinctively gone to each other and never realized why. They had never stopped to ponder why there was no awkwardness when seeing each other after months, perhaps even a year. How they still felt so at ease with one another, having the deepest conversations while they were alone as if they had never been apart before.

Their friendship was such a beautiful, precious thing. But this newness...this uncharted territory of love they had entered into...it was beautiful, too. 

**[the following poems are by me from Zutara Week 2020, written about this fanfic]**

* * *

_ My fiery prince of a thousand suns, _

_ You have never expressed doubt in me, _

_ Never surprised at the tricks up my sleeves. _

_ Somehow, you always tend to keep up. _

_ My flaming star, plucked from the heavens, _

_ You support me selflessly, without fail. _

_ Remember the smallest, key details. _

_ You somehow see beauty in my messes. _

_ My brightest sun of deepest passion, _

_ Your heart is deep just like my own. _

_ We never go through our pain alone. _

_ Our love is more than everlasting. _

_ You gave your broken heart to me, _

_ And I promise I’ll guard it with my life. _

_ You taught me how to truly feel alive. _

_ I’ve been reborn, I’ve been set free. _

_ Fiery warrior, my snow queen, _

_ Your royal palace is an igloo. _

_ You said “sorry it’s so small” _

_ But it feels like home to me, too. _

* * *

_ My snow queen, saving grace, _

_ You part the seas and stop the rain. _

_ You have a different kind of passion. _

_ You can heal any kind of pain. _

_ Saving grace, Goddess of water, _

_ You pulled me from the jaws of death. _

_ You almost threw your life away _

_ To give me all that you had left. _

_ Goddess of water, Master Katara, _

_ I swear to Agni, I’ll see this through. _

_ I’ll never quit, I’ll break to pieces _

_ Before I think of leaving you. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PHEW okay I hope you enjoyed that chapter! I love you all and thanks for reading!  
> -Aleviah


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